The Notre Dame Fighting Irish’’s ACC home opener was a showcase of dominance as Niele Ivey’s squad cruised to a 95-54 victory over Virginia, making it hard to single out just one highlight. From start to finish, nearly everything went right for Blue and Gold.
At first, it seemed like the Cavaliers (8-6, 0-2) might offer a challenge. Virginia scored the game’s first four points and tied the score at 9 midway through the first quarter.
However, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-2, 2-0) responded emphatically, reeling off a staggering 28 consecutive points. The Cavaliers didn’t score again until halfway through the second quarter, and the game was never in doubt after that.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish dominate in ACC home opener
In the win, head coach Niele Ivey reached a historic milestone, becoming the fastest coach in both Notre Dame and ACC history to notch 100 career victories. Her team’s performance underscored the achievement.
Olivia Miles delivered her sixth career triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists, tying her career-high in assists. She became the third player in program history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists, joining legends Skylar Diggins and Lindsay Allen. Miles also tied the ACC record for career triple-doubles, a mark previously held by Alyssa Thomas.
Sonia Citron matched her season highs with 25 points and 11 rebounds, including five three-pointers. Freshman Hannah Hidalgo led all scorers with 28 points, while Kate Koval added 12 points and three blocks. Liatu King nearly recorded a double-double with eight points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
All that being said, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish made a bold statement in the midst of this season’s ACC campaign.