NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Manchester defeated St. Mary's (IN) 3-2 on Tuesday, winning 25-23, 20-25, 23-25, 25-20, 15-8 at Angela Athletic & Wellness Complex. After dropping the second and third sets, Manchester answered a 2-1 match deficit by taking the fourth and fifth sets. Manchester totaled 59 kills, hit .156 and added 73 digs and nine total blocks. The result moved Manchester to 1-0, while St. Mary's (IN) fell to 0-1.
Manchester answered an early 3-0 deficit with a 6-0 run and went on to take the opening set from St. Mary's (IN) 25-23.
Alena Naddaf served five straight Manchester points in that push, with
Lily Lichtenbarger and
Aubrey Hreha adding kills around three St. Mary's (IN) attack errors. After St. Mary's (IN) moved ahead 14-13,
Kyana Martinez and Lichtenbarger delivered consecutive kills, and Manchester finished the set on an attack error blocked by Lichtenbarger.
In the second set, Manchester built a 7-2 lead, with
Alicia Simmons, Hreha and
Morgan Howard putting down kills and
Tiffany Watterson and
Kiera Aguirre adding service aces. St. Mary's (IN) answered with five straight points to tie it at 7-7, and after Manchester briefly moved back in front 9-7 on two Simmons kills, the home team later went ahead 17-11. Manchester got late kills from Martinez,
Delaeni Hixson and Simmons, but St. Mary's (IN) closed out the set 25-20.
Manchester turned a 16-14 lead into a 23-15 advantage by winning seven of the next eight rallies, with
Keira Meierant serving the final four points of that stretch. St. Mary's (IN) cut into the margin late, but Simmons finished the set with a kill from Howard for a 25-20 Manchester win.
In the fifth set, Manchester answered a 4-3 deficit by winning seven of the next eight points, moving ahead 10-5 behind kills from Lichtenbarger and
Izzy Renz and two blocks involving Lichtenbarger. Manchester kept control from there, getting late kills from Simmons, Howard and Hixson before a St. Mary's (IN) service error closed the fifth set at 15-8.
Simmons led Manchester with 15 kills and added 16 digs. Howard recorded 43 assists, 12 digs, seven kills and three service aces. Watterson collected a team-high 17 digs and added eight assists. Lichtenbarger posted six total blocks, including four solo blocks, and finished with nine kills.
Manchester moves to 1-0 overall.
Up next, Manchester volleyball team travels to Olivet, Michigan, to face The University of Olivet on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
