Cards Stay Hot in South Bend: Chicoine Shines, Cresse Closes, and Louisville Sweeps the Irish

The eighth-ranked Louisville Cardinals continued their midseason surge with a dominant straight-set win over Notre Dame on Wednesday night in South Bend. In front of a packed Joyce Center crowd, the Cards kept their composure through chaos, showcasing the kind of poise and balance that defines a veteran team.

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Chicoine in Command

Sophomore outside hitter Chloe Chicoine led the charge with 14 kills on an exceptional .414 hitting percentage. Whether from the front row or back, Chicoine found every possible angle through the Irish defense, pacing the Louisville offense with efficiency and flair.

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Cresse Controls the Net

Fifth-year middle blocker Cara Cresse once again anchored the front line, posting nine kills and four blocks—including the match-clinching stop in Set 3. Her timing and presence at the net proved pivotal as Louisville shut down multiple Notre Dame surges down the stretch.

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All-Around Execution

Louisville’s win was built on steady team defense and precision setting.

• The Cards totaled seven team blocks, with Cresse and Kalyssa Blackshear keying the effort at the net.
• Libero Kamden Schrand tallied 14 digs and added two aces, keeping rallies alive and momentum in check.
• Setter Nayelis Cabello guided the offense with 33 assists, dictating tempo and spreading the attack efficiently across all rotations.

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Handling the Chaos

The second set brought an unusual twist—a scoring error that had Louisville playing out of rotation for seven points, resulting in an eight-point correction and a 20-minute delay. But instead of unraveling, the Cardinals responded with a 9–2 run to close the set, a testament to their discipline and composure.

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Finishing Strong

Notre Dame clawed back late in the third, tying it at 23 after back-to-back aces. Louisville answered immediately: a Cresse kill, followed by a Cabello-Cresse block, sealed the sweep, 25–23.

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With the win, Louisville improves to 17–4 overall and 9–2 in ACC play. The Cardinals return home this weekend as one of the hottest teams in the conference—playing their most confident, connected volleyball of the season.