Notre Dame Academy volleyball entered the 2026 state tournament opener with a clear mandate: play relaxed. After navigating a challenging regular season that left the Pandas with a 25-11 record, the team focused on composure rather than anxiety. That mindset paid off in a packed Park Hills gym, where NDA dismantled a resilient Bishop Brossart squad in straight sets, 25-16, 25-20, and 25-14. The decisive victory secures NDA’s spot in Friday evening’s state quarterfinals, validating their strategy of trusting their preparation over their win-loss column.
Relaxed Pandas overcome scrappy Brossart rally with dominant three-set victory
The Pandas established early dominance, leveraging four runs of at least three points to seize a commanding 17-9 lead in the first set. Offensive firepower from Teagan Kondik, Makayla Roose, and Emma Redlinger, who combined for 13 kills in the opening frame, kept Brossart on the back foot. NDA further stifled the visitors with five blocks, showcasing a defensive wall that proved difficult for the Brossart hitters to penetrate. This aggressive start set the tone for a match where NDA controlled the tempo despite Brossart’s efforts to create chaos.
Bishop Brossart showed grit in the second set, rallying from a 19-14 deficit thanks to key contributions from sophomore Audrey Arnold, who recorded both a kill and a block to force NDA’s only timeout of the match. However, the Pandas responded instantly, with a Kondik kill and a Grout ace stretching the lead back to five points. NDA maintained its composure to close out the set and the match, demonstrating the mental toughness required to advance deep into the postseason. As co-coach Hannah Colvin noted, the team’s strength of schedule prepared them for this level of competition, and their relaxed approach proved to be the perfect antidote to tournament pressure.
Source: Yahoo Sports
