DePaul University Athletics
Volleyball Heads to Texas
10/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
CHICAGO- The Blue Demon Volleyball squad will head to Texas this Halloween weekend, looking for more treats than tricks. DePaul is hoping to treat themselves to a pair of wins against Conference USA opponents TCU and Houston. The Blue Demons will face off against TCU on Friday, October 31st at 7:00 pm and Houston at 7:30 on Saturday, November 1st.
“We had a great week of practice,” Head Coach Dawn Dockstader said. “We need to get a pair of wins this weekend to stay competitive in the conference race.”
The Blue Demons have been struggling, losing four of their last seven matches. Last week they dropped a pair of matches to C-USA rivals Saint Louis and Memphis. DePaul is currently in 11th place, heading into the final three weeks of conference play. Ultimately, they are looking for an invitation to the conference tournament hosted by Tulane University the end of November. The top 12 teams will receive invitations.
DePaul will face seventh-place TCU who is 17-8 overall and 3-4 in C-USA on Friday. TCU split their matches last weekend, falling to USF, but defeated UAB in five games. Junior Ellen Reham led the Horned Frogs with 26 kills for a .418 attack percentage against UAB. Reham on the season averages 4.15 kills per game and a .296 attack percentage.
The Blue Demons will travel to Houston on Saturday morning for a 7:30 pm match. Houston, 7-14 overall and 3-4 C-USA, also split their last two matches, defeating USF but fell to UAB. Cinthia Piva averaged 4.7 kills and 3.2 digs per game last weekend.
For the Blue Demons, junior Janet Goreham notched two double digit kill matches last weekend. Against Memphis she had a team high 12 kills and a .385 hitting percentage. She also added eight total blocks on the weekend.
DePaul will return from their road trip on Sunday, November 2nd and begin preparing for their final three home matches. DePaul’s next home match will be Friday, November 7th at 7:00 pm at the Athletic Center against UAB.
Balls on the Wood
DePaul has been successful this season attacking the ball. As a team they hold a .219 hitting percentage, while holding their opponents to only a .207 hitting percentage. DePaul owns 1,439 kills on the season and average 15.15 kills per game.
The Blue Demons hit a season high against the UIC Flames on Tuesday, September 16th as a team they hit .434. The last time a DePaul team hit over .400 was against East Carolina, October 12, 2002.
Junior Janet Goreham leads the Blue Demons with a .294 hitting percentage. Goreham has 206 kills on the season and only 57 errors. Senior Janet Cotter leads the Blue Demons in total kills recording 324 kills while sophomore Mandy Moorberg trails her with 306 kills.
Block Party
As a team DePaul ranks fifth in C-USA averaging 2.38 blocks per game. DePaul had a season-high, 17.0 blocks versus, Miami (Ohio) on September 20th.
Senior Lara Marks leads the Blue Demons and is ranked third in C-USA averaging 1.28 blocks per game and has recorded 117 blocks this season. Marks has also moved up to second on DePaul’s all-time career block assists adding 96 assists this season to the 232 she had prior to the 2003 season. Marks is also tied for fifth on the all-time career block solo list. She has tallied 84 block solos in her career.
Getting Down on the Ball
As a team DePaul is third in the conference in digs per game. On average, DePaul is getting down on 17.10 balls per game. There are five Blue Demons that have 250 or more digs for the season, Amy Holmes (312), Ellen Hayes (305), Janet Cotter (291), and Amie West (254).
Since beginning C-USA play the Blue Demons have dominated on defense. They are averaging a league high 18.40 digs per game. Junior Amy Holmes ranks third in conference play getting down on 4.44 balls per game.
The Blue Demons made a defensive stop against UW-Green Bay recording a season high 102 digs. Red shirt freshman Ellen Hayes lead the defensive show notching a season and career high 29 digs. Four other Blue Demons recorded double digit dig totals during the UW- Green Bay match.
1,000 Kill Club
Senior, middle Lara Marks notched her 1,000 career kill against Charlotte on Saturday, October 11th. Prior to the 2003 season Marks had recorded 808 kills. This season she has recorded 231 kills this season.
Setting People Up
Junior Amie West has engraved her name into the DePaul history books with her setting performances this season. West has 1,107 assists this season and 2,446 career assists. 2,446 career-assists places West fourth on the Blue Demon career assist list. West set a new personal career and season best against UW-Green Bay recording 62 assists
Fighting for Every Point
DePaul has a “never give up” attitude when it comes to winning games and matches. This season the Blue Demons have battled to five-games, six times this season. They have also taken eight games past 30 points. DePaul took game-one against UW-Green Bay to 38-40. Forty points in one game would tie for sixth in the NCAA record book. The last time 40 points were scored in one game came on November 9, 2003. Buffalo and Long Island each scored 40 points on that day.
100 Wins
Head Coach Dawn Dockstader is on her way to her 100th win as the DePaul head coach. After the Blue Demons defeated Loyola on Tuesday October 14th, Dockstader compiled her 99th win. This is her seventh year as the DePaul head coach.
All-Tournament Team Honors
Morehead State Invitational
Lara Marks
Illini Classic
Janet Cotter
Drake Bulldog Invite
Mandy Moorberg
Amie West
Ellen Hayes (Most Valuable Libero)
Blue Demon Invitational
Lara Marks
