Fresh off a takedown of St. Henry in the 9th Region volleyball final, Notre Dame Academy quickly pivots toward the KHSAA state tournament.
The Pandas were back in practice sharpening their angles less than 20 hours after securing their fourth straight region crown, 39th overall. Notre Dame broke an evenly played deadlock through four sets with a decisive 15-6 win in the final set against the Crusaders.
Practices were decidedly upbeat Thursday and Friday.
“We worked on staying aggressive behind the service line, serve-receive and our hitting,” said senior Audrey Dyas, a University of Toledo commit and 9th Region tournament MVP. “It’s an honor to wear the Notre Dame uniform so our team works really hard and we are excited.”
Notre Dame’s four seniors, including Lizzy Larkins and Grace Portwood, are so ecstatic they are in seventh heaven.
Portwood, the team’s kills leader and a University of Indianapolis commit, and Dyas, the blocks leader, are the headliners. Flanking them is more future college talent. They include Larkins (Ohio Dominican), senior Katie Zwick (Ohio Dominican) and junior Teagan Kondik (Cincinnati). There’s also sophomore Makayla Roose, who is on the college radar.
“We lost seven seniors from last year. A lot of girls had to step up,” co-head coach Hannah Colvin said. “Libero was a big question mark at the beginning of the season after losing Julia Grace to Xavier. But Dara Jackson embraced that role.”
The desired state of mind now, with 10 state titles to their credit: eleventh heaven.
Notre Dame (29-7) is back in action Monday in a 7 p.m. first-round state tournament contest. The Pandas play at 12th Region champ West Jessamine (28-11). According to the KHSAA, West Jessamine has not beaten the Pandas this century in two prior matchups in 2020 and 2023, which were also matchups in the state tournament.
Monday’s winner advances to the state quarterfinals Nov. 7 at George Rogers Clark, where the rest of the tournament takes place. The semifinals and final are Nov. 8. Notre Dame reached last year’s semifinals, falling to eventual champion Louisville Assumption.
TWO HEAD COACHES
Colvin believes her team has the talent and resolve to make a long state run. The Pandas are playing some of their best volleyball ahead of the tournament.
“I think for any team that gets to state the goal is to win,” said Colvin. “But we’re taking nothing for granted.”
Which means the Pandas are making no assumptions, even if it appears as though they may have to beat powerful Assumption to bring home title No. 11. Assumption, the two-time defending champ, is No. 1 in the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association state poll. The Rockets are in the tournament’s upper bracket. Notre Dame, ranked No. 2 statewide, is in the lower bracket.
“We’re not looking ahead,” said Madison Salkowski, the other half of the co-coaching tandem. “We know that anything can happen.”
Longtime friends and 2016 Notre Dame graduates, Colvin and Salkowski are former college players. They’ve known each other since age 10. One of their toughest shared moments came as teammates on the Notre Dame volleyball team. Their last game in a Pandas uniform was a loss to Assumption in the state semifinals.
Fast forward 10 years. This is their first year sharing the reins. Salkowski handles the offense. Colvin guides the defense.
“I think it’s been pretty successful, because they both specialize in an area,” Portwood said.
The coaches have a healthy mix of opinions, but very often find they are on the same page. “Sometimes we’ll start talking about something,” Colvin said. “Then one of us says, ‘I was just thinking about that.’ It’s nice.”
Notre Dame previously experimented with a co-head coach system involving former players. Under the command of Leslie Litmer and Jenna Leistner, Notre Dame advanced to the 2023 state final. The Pandas lost to Assumption a year after winning state under Litmer. Colvin and Salkowski were assistants. Now, as heads of the program, they may have to deal with Assumption again.
NO GUARANTEES
Assumption has won a Kentucky record 24 state titles, more than double Notre Dame’s total. The Rockets have won 27 matches in a row against Kentucky competition. They swept Notre Dame, 3-0, in this year’s regular season meeting. The Rockets have won 42 of the last 50 meetings. Over a span of 21 years from 2001-21, Assumption went 37-2 against the Pandas.
Notre Dame, however, has changed the narrative. The rebellion coincided with Colvin and Salkowski joining forces as Pandas assistants. Colvin returned to the program in 2021, Salkowski a year later. Notre Dame began beating Assumption with regularity in 2022. The Pandas defeated Assumption six times over the next 11 meetings. They were the last Kentucky team to beat the Rockets.
Once survivors of Assumption trauma, the co-coaches hope to keep redefining the rivalry. Should the series continue at this year’s state tournament, both teams need to reach the final. The coaches are mindful that dominance doesn’t equal destiny. Paths are earned, not granted.
The path for Assumption begins Monday with city rival Mercy Academy, No. 3 statewide and a seven-time state champ. Mercy hasn’t beaten Assumption in five years. However, if Mercy upsets Assumption, the Jaguars will become a favorite.
A private school has won all 46 KHSAA state volleyball titles, and 33 of those champions have come from Louisville.
“There are no guarantees Assumption’s going to be in the final,” Salkowski said.
The same can be said for Notre Dame, shooting for its third state crown in six years.
“We have to keep working hard,” said Colvin. “We’re winning the serve. I like our passing game. We’re getting teams out of system. I like it that we’re winning gritty rallies. We have an all-around strong team, very well balanced.”
The four seniors believe the Pandas possess enough balance to beat the field.
“I think our team goes into every match with confidence,” Portwood said. “If we get to play Assumption again, we can give them a battle, even win. But we have to get there first.”