Gophers Fall To Notre Dame in Home Opener

Gophers Fall To Notre Dame in Home Opener
September 3, 2025
Video Box Score

BALTIMORE, MD - The Goucher College Gophers (0-1) competed in their home opener against the Gators of Notre Dame of Maryland (2-1). The non-conference match-up led to a 0-3 outcome for the Gophers. 

Lucille Hendricks starts the Gophers off with a block that helps Goucher take back possession. On the Gopher possession, Maya Miller scored a service ace, giving Goucher the lead. Freshman AaShyah De Vries spikes the ball, extending the lead.The teams traded points, with the Gators inching closer to the Gophers lead. A seven-point scoring run mid-set propels Goucher's score, with help from two service aces by Makayla Nasibi, tying the score at 22-22. The Gators attack errors give the Gophers a chance to take the set. Juliana Stoneberg and De Vries fight the Gator lead with two attack points. Ultimately, two attacking errors at the end of the set by Goucher led to Notre Dame (Md.) taking the first set. The Gophers had seven kills in the first set. After a tight set, the Gators come out on top, taking the set 28-26. 
 
The second set begins with a kill for the Gaters. After some back and forth, Alex Dzhygit has a kill to add to the Gopher tally. The Gators five-point run that was ended by a service ace from Athena Savick. Gophers hit their stride with back-to-back points from hits by Hendricks and Stoneberg. Sofia Ortiz kept the streak alive with a service ace. Three consecutive attack errors from Notre Dame opened the door for Goucher, but the Gators pull out the win over the second set 25-23. This put the Gophers up 2-0.
 
Notre Dame began the scoring in the third set. Kelsi Hockaday has a scoring attack that helps put the Gophers on the board. Two consecutive kills by Miller and Maria Basantes help close the scoring deficit. Basantes keeps her momentum through the set, having five of the eight kills for the Gophers. Ortiz adds to the service ace tally, helping keep the Gophers alive near the latter half of the set. Notre Dame's five-point scoring run was ended by an attack error, giving the Gophers a window to take the lead. Despite the Gophers end of set rally, the Gators pulled out the win, ending the third set 26-24. 
 
The Gophers had 21 kills, Basantes leading the charge with six kills. There were six service aces, with three of them from Nasibi. Hendricks led Goucher in digs with 12 of the team's 64. Eight solo blocks were had by Goucher, with De Vries completing five of the eight. Ortiz led the Gophers in assists with eight, followed closely by Alex Jordan with six assists. 
 
Goucher will return to action at home for a tri-match on Saturday, September 6th, in the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.