The Notre Dame men’s varsity volleyball team made quick work of the visiting Bishop Alemany Warriors last Thursday.

SHERMAN OAKS – Heading into their matchup against Bishop Alemany, the Knights, sitting at 3-10, were losers of five straight, including a recent home loss heartbreaker against Eagle Rock. That made this Mission League matchup all the more important to win as Notre Dame faced a longtime rival in Alemany.

The Warriors weren’t having the best season either, coming into the game with a 3-14 record on an equally unfortunate four-game losing streak. Both teams were winless in the Mission League, and were looking for a rivalry victory to spark a change in their season.

The first set was a back-and-forth battle where both teams exchanged haymakers early on. Notre Dame was able to create a sizable lead halfway into the set, and were able to defend a charging comeback from Bishop Alemany late to secure the set victory 25-20.

Senior outside hitter Miklos Horvath led the attack for the Knights, leading the team in kills and propelling them out to an early lead. “Our strategy going into the game was to play loose because [in] our games before, we get way too frustrated and end up making more mistakes than we would otherwise,” Horvath said, “Our coach told us to go at their weakest passers with some power, and during those streaks we were able to hit them. It would put them out of system and give us great chances to get a strong system swing.”

Set number two was where Notre Dame took control of the game, dominating defensively and capitalizing on mistakes from Bishop Alemany. While it was closer early on, the Knights finished on a seven-point run that saw them take the set 25-15. The tandem of Junior Middle Blockers Thomas Roden and Jacob Burns, the Towers of Power, stifled every Alemany shot in the middle, and made quick work of the Warriors’ undersized front core.

The Knights shined brightest in the third set, ending their five-game losing streak with a 25-16 set win over the Warriors. Junior Libero Michael Corral was an X factor in this set, leading Notre Dame to close out with an 8 point run thanks to his well-placed serves. Senior leader Horvath credited the win to his teammates, emphasizing that “We just kept pushing down to prove to ourselves that we are a capable team when we play the right way. The victory felt incredible and I was really proud of the guys.”

The Knights’ next home game will be after Spring Break on April 14 against Westlake at 5 p.m.
in the Fritz B. Burns Gymnasium.