By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The balanced attack that Notre Dame’s volleyball team developed during the season was on full display during a 3-0 win over Brossart in the opening round of the state tournament on Monday in Park Hills.
The Pandas powered their way through the sweep with points coming from hitters in the middle, outside and back row as well as at the service line.
“We did a great job of just sharing the wealth with everybody,” said Notre Dame coach Madison Salkowski. “We had that as the game plan. We planned to make sure that everyone was ready and available, and I thought we executed it very well.”
Notre Dame (26-11) advances to the state quarterfinals to play West Jessamine (34-6) at 5 p.m. Friday at George Rogers Clark High School.
This is the fifth straight year the Pandas have reached the elite eight. They won the 2022 state title, finished second in 2025 and 2023 and lost in the 2024 semifinals.
Unlike the three-set rally they needed to win the 9th Region final, the Pandas played well from start to finish against 10th Region champion Brossart (36-3). The set scores were 25-16, 25-20 and 25-14.
Notre Dame middle hitter Makayla Roose had a team-high 14 kills with outside hitters Teagan Kondik and Emma Redlinger getting 13 and 10. Roose also had four service aces and scored on blocks at the net.
“I think we weren’t playing our cleanest, truthfully, ” Roose said. “But we’ll definitely clean it up with two practices this week. We’ll get back at it and really get into it.”
Brossart’s scrappy defense made the Pandas earn their points. But the Mustangs’ longest scoring run in any of the three sets was three points so they weren’t able to build any momentum.
“We’re disappointed because we wanted (to win) so bad and the girls played with so much heart,” said Brossart coach Danielle French. “They gave their all, they gave me effort and I’m just incredibly proud of them.”
French said three of her players were injured during the match, but the Mustangs kept battling.
In the second set, they pulled to within 19-16 on a block by freshman Audrey Arnold. Notre Dame scored the next two points and maintained the lead despite three late kills by Brossart sophomore Evelyn Laker.
The Pandas ended the third set with a 7-1 run. It started with Roose getting the first three points on a kill, service ace and solo block. The final match point came on a back row kill by Kondik, who was recognized before the match for surpassing 1,000 kills in her career.
Notre Dame senior setter Ellie Osterkamp surpassed the 1,000 mark in assists this season with 39 against Brossart. The Pandas finished with a .315 attack percentage.
“Ellie does a great job and we practiced that a lot, just keeping the block open and spreading out the offense really nicely,” Roose said. “That really gets us going and gets us in a rhythm.”
Volleyball state tournament at George Rogers Clark
FRIDAY — UPPER BRACKET
Paintsville (35-6) vs. Louisville Mercy (29-7), 11 a.m.
Louisville Assumption (37-3) vs. McCracken County (25-15), 1:30 p.m.
FRIDAY — LOWER BRACKET
Notre Dame (26-11) vs. West Jessamine (34-6), 5 p.m.
Whitley County (37-4) vs. Bowling Green (33-7), 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Upper bracket semifinal, 11 a.m.
Lower bracket semifinal, 1:30 p.m.
Championship final, 7:30 p.m.