Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Reaching For The Top ND SPORTS Toni Alugbue leads streaking Irish volleyball team BY DAN MURPHY D October to achieve their longest winning streak in three years. Starting with a vic- ebbie Brown and the Irish volleyball team won their first five matches in young Irish team to the top of the con- ference standings. The majority of its firepower has come from the sopho- more class, led by outside hitter Toni Alugbue. The second-year player moved from tory on the final day of September, Notre Dame had reeled off six straight wins in domi- nant fashion. They've swept all but one of those matches in three straight sets. The Irish are still less than half- way to the 15-game un- defeated streak Brown's team posted in 2009 en route to a regular-sea- son conference crown, but they're headed in the right direction. "We hoped we'd be on middle blocker to outside hitter after her freshman season and almost im- mediately hit her stride. She made the Big East Weekly Honor Roll the first three weeks of Sep- tember, and then topped that by being named the conference's player of the week Sept. 24. During Notre Dame's 15-6 start (8-1 in the Big East), Alugbue led the team in points (4.19 per set) and kills (3.64 per set), and she was the third on the team in ser- vice aces with 13. "With the middle, I Alugbue, a sophomore outside hit- ter, led Notre Dame in points (4.19 per set) and kills (3.64 per set) dur- top by ourselves," Brown said about her team, which was tied with Marquette and No. 13 Louisville for first place in the Big East as of Oct. 25. "But we had and still have high as- pirations for our team. I think that we're in a good position, but we have a lot of work to do." Brown said a more active, involved offense has helped push a relatively ing its 15-6 start. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS doing something every play," Alugbue said. "It's a more multi-faceted game. I like it. I'm definitely working hard every point. I'm always out of breath, but it's fun." She said the new position and an was more worried about the defensive side get- ting the block, stopping my other middle. On the outside, you literally are uptick in the offensive intensity this season has helped the team be more creative and helped her stay more in-