Golden Eagles fall in NCAA Second Round to No. 9 Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Marquette University women's volleyball team (18-11, 11-5 BIG EAST) fell to two-seed and No. 9 Louisville (26-6, 16-4 ACC) Saturday evening in the NCAA Tournament Second Round at the L&N Federal Credit Union Arena.

Natalie Ring led the Golden Eagles with 29 kills and a .324 hitting percentage, also adding six digs. Hattie Bray put up 11 kills and a season-high nine blocks, while Elena Radeff tallied 10 kills and seven digs. Isabela Haggard set a new MU NCAA match record with 55 assists, while Adriana Studer tallied 20 digs.

It was a game of runs to start, with a four-point burst from MU led by four kills from Ring to put the Golden Eagles up early. Louisville responded with a four of their own to take the advantage, but Parks tallied a pair of kills to string three together and lead again, 10-9. Another Cardinal run brought the lead back, and each team traded points with MU holding a 15-14 advantage at the media timeout. MU continued to side out, but another Ring kill forced a Cardinal timeout, up 21-18. A Bray and Radeff block, followed by an ace set up set point for Marquette, and a service error gave MU the 25-21 set one win.

Louisville started the second strong, building a three-point edge, but the big block of Bray and Haggard kept MU within striking distance. A three-point burst from the home team forced a Marquette timeout trailing 9-4, and the Cardinals extended that rally to six to open a 12-4 lead. Despite the fight from Marquette, Louisville continued to side out at a high pace and kept the pressure on the Golden Eagles. The home team took the second set, 25-11, to even the match at one set each.

Marquette held the advantage in the third, starting with a 5-1 run fueled by blocks from Bray, Ring, and Radeff, with a Radeff ace to force a break from Louisville. MU kept the gas pedal down, running a string of five points together to break open a 7-1 lead. Louisville put together a 3-0 stretch to cut the MU lead to three and force a timeout, with Radeff ending the run on a kill. Ring showed her prowess, keeping Marquette ahead by a slim two-point margin, with both teams fighting to take the important third set. Marquette was the first to 20, with Ring going on a solo three-point burst to put the Golden Eagles ahead, 22-19, forcing a Louisville timeout. Out of the timeout, Louisville clawed back to take a 23-22 advantage, but Marquette responded with authority and rallied off three-straight to take the third, 25-25, and a pivotal third set victory.

The Cardinals responded to their setback in the last set, jumping out to a 10-4 advantage early, but the Golden Eagles stayed scrappy, snapping off a 3-0 run to trim the deficit to three. Louisville maintained their steady attack, with another run forcing a Marquette timeout trailing 19-13. With the pressure put on, Louisville secured a 25-19 fourth set win to force a decisive fifth set.

It was a thriller in the fifth, with Louisville taking an early advantage. Marquette kept fighting, keeping it tight, but UL was the first to eight as the Golden Eagles switched to their starting bench in front of the Blue and Gold faithful. The Cardinals were first to double digits, with the Golden Eagles taking a timeout to settle the crowd, down three points. MU fought back with a three-point run powered by a pair of kills from Ring, pulling the Golden Eagles within two. Louisville would then find the match winner with a high kill off the block, winning the match in five sets.

NOTABLES

Natalie Ring extended her double-digit kills streak to 32 with 29 today, hitting the mark in every match since 11/30/2024.
Natalie Ring set a new career-best with 29 kills.
Natalie Ring tallied 20+ kills for the eighth time this season.
Hattie Bray set a season-high in blocks with nine.
Isabela Haggard set a new MU NCAA match record with 55 assists.
Elena Radeff tallied her highest kill total (10) since a 10 kill effort at Creighton on 11/1.
MU dropped to 2-6 in five-set matches in 2025.

POSTGAME COMMENTS

Head Coach Tom Mendoza

(Opening Statement)

"I'm just very grateful for the opportunity to coach at Marquette – this what attracted me when the position was open is how much volleyball is important here. We see how much it's growing nationally, and to be one of the programs that's helping grow it, that's our goal and what we're trying to do. We're grateful for the players that we get to coach and how amazing they were in buying into us when we arrived in, depending on which coach between March and June. And the seniors and the freshman and everyone that's bought in, because this day and age it's very easy not to. It's very easy to have one foot out the door - whether it's transfers, or whatever it is. And so, to get a group of people to buy in and to get to work with them on a daily basis, I'm very grateful for the opportunity. Same thing with players like Bella (Haggard) and Nat (Ring). Great match, just a phenomenal match that we knew what Louisville was going to be like. They killed the ball well. We were hoping we were able to slow them down a little bit, but their offense was pretty tough. But overall, just a phenomenal match, and we're glad to be a part of it. Wish we got to keep going another week or so, because we really like working together and playing together as a group, so fun for that, but incredibly proud of our performance all weekend, but all season as well."

(On Louisville's Chloe Chicoine)

"She was taking big swings. Obviously, I think Louisville's defense and ball control and them being so hard to score against is one of the things they've been known for nationally. Before Dan [Meske] was the head coach, I think he was a big part of building that culture as an assistant coach or associate coach, whatever his title was. When they're swinging, the way they were swinging tonight, I think that's makes them a pretty complete team and when they're swinging as aggressively as they were tonight with the blocking and defense, I think that would match them up favorably against anybody. But she certainly sets the tone for them both from a cultural standpoint and her play tonight as well. Again, I was hoping we were going to be able to slow down their outsides a little bit more, but at this level good offense is going to be good defense, and we saw a lot of both teams doing that tonight."

(On the Marquette senior class)

"Overall just incredibly positive. There are just such different roles that they've all had. Hattie (Bray) being a four-time all-conference player – every coach in the Big East can't believe she's back. She's one of those players that they've had to scout against for four years. We've had players who have had injuries, you never know what your collegiate path is going to be, and some players who didn't get to play on the court the sport that they love with the team. Just a varied variety of situations Ella is a good example, she played two weekends for us and was really not able to go much after that. Regardless of what their on-court situation is, they've all just been incredibly supportive. Their families have been incredibly supportive to myself, my wife and our staff and everyone just making us very welcome. For the first however long it's been – eight months -at Marquette have been everything I was hoping it would be and I think the seniors and their families certainly set the tone for that and it's something we're going to try to make sure we're building on and carrying on. And they did a good job, especially for our five freshmen who were on the court to know what Marquette volleyball is going to be moving forward."

(On playing with nothing to lose and her legacy at Marquette)

Natalie Ring, Sr., OH

"I think especially this season and late in the year, we've been having a big theme of just swinging hard and going for it and knowing that if we can get swings on other teams, that's how we're going get good transitions to system swings and get points. So, I think, that's been an MO of my game this season and the past few years and just wanted to take big swings and going hard and believing that if I take those big swings that people won't be able to stop me. So, I think we really embrace that and the coaches and the players that supported me behind me the whole time. I know that they are there in coverage and they're encouraging me to take big swings. So, I think it's been a team effort and for sure, but I am glad that we were able to execute that a little bit tonight."

(On what she saw before the game to limit Louisville's blocks)

Isabella Haggard, Fr., S

"We just go by game-by-game. A lot of teams, we never know how they're going to scheme, blocking wise. So, we see that early, and they held pretty hard, so we tried to beat them in the seams, and I think that worked really well for us. And, I just leave the ball off the net so that my hitters have high hands because that's how a lot of points are scored."

(On the senior class and their impact)

Isabella Haggard, Fr., S

"It was a privilege. We have seven seniors, eight if you count one who medically retired. And, I just think that after the game, we were sad our season's over, but I am mainly sad that we couldn't do it for them because of how much they wanted it. And, Hattie and Elena, and all of them, such an honor to play with them. Elena's the first year (with the program), but Hattie's been here for five years, and she's grown the program. When people think of Marquette volleyball, you think of Hattie. And, I just wanted to do it for them, and I think we leave with our heads held high, including the seniors, because we gave it all we had, and just fell three points short to a very good team."

Natalie Ring, Sr., OH

"I think most of these girls in senior class are who I came in with as freshman and just to see the growth in every single one of them. And obviously, the newer players that have come into this class too, but just to see the way that all of them have grown and the impact that they've had on and off the court, into this program, has just been really cool and inspiring. And, I'm sad to see them all go and to be leaving behind them. But I think it's exciting to know that you have another year, but also sad to see all your friends that you came in with go, but they left quite a legacy and we've, like Bella said, we were sad that we couldn't pull it out for them, but I know they were behind us all the whole time."