NKyTribune staff
Anna Long, Sydney Nolan and Abby Powers combined for 44 kills and eight blocks Saturday afternoon as Notre Dame Academy advanced to the state championship match with a 25-9, 25-15, 21-25, 25-16 win over West Jessamine in the tournament semifinals in Winchester.
Long finished with 16 kills and attacked at a .344 clip for Notre Dame, which hit .323 as a team. Long added 10 digs and two blocks. Nolan slammed down 14 kills in 25 attempts without an error for a .560 hitting percentage. Powers also recorded 14 kills and hit .545 with four blocks.
Notre Dame defenders Sydney Nolan (11) and Emily Bentley (10) attempts to block West Jessamine’s Ava Gdovka (15) on Saturday. (KHSAA photo)
Notre Dame setter Emily Bentley dished out 50 assists, while Kamden Schrand anchored the defense with 15 digs.
Emma Grace added 11 kills and nine digs for Notre Dame, which extended its winning streak to 13 and improved to 25-3.
Emily Krintz led West Jessamine (19-9) with 12 kills. The Lady Mustangs hit just .037 for the match. Notre Dame finished with a 61-25 advantage in kills.
The Pandas will meet Louisville Mercy — which swept Henry Clay in the other semifinal — at 7:30 p.m. tonight for the state championship. Notre Dame’s last loss was a five-set defeat against Mercy on Oct. 3.
Notre Dame is seeking its first state championship since 1994.
(Information compiled from the KHSAA and staff reports)
