DePaul University Athletics
Volleyball Hosts TCU and Houston
10/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
TCU-Houston Match Notes
CHICAGO- The DePaul volleyball team returns home this weekend to host Conference USA opponents TCU and Houston on Friday and Saturday, both matches are scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. On Saturday, DePaul will welcome back volleyball alumnus and will participate in the C-USA sponsored program Dig for the Cure.
The Blue Demons (8-13, 1-4 C-USA) enter the weekend after going 1-1 in C-USA play last week falling to USF and picking up a win over UAB. The Blue Demons rolled past the Blazers 3-0 (30-24, 30-23, 30-16) on Friday, October 15th. Setter Amy Holmes dished out a season three-game high 43 assists and helped the offense put together its second best hitting performance of the year, notching a .319 attack percentage and 55 total kills. The 55 kills are the most the Blue Demons have accumulated in a three-game match this season.
TCU Horned Frogs (14-6, 5-1 C-USA)
Friday, October 22, 2004 – 7:00 p.m.
The Horned Frogs matched last years mark of five conference wins last week, downing Cincinnati, 3-1 for the first time in TCU’s volleyball history. TCU was slated to finish seventh in the C-USA Preseason Coaches Poll but has surprised its opponents by notching wins over Tulane, Southern Miss, East Carolina, Charlotte and Cincinnati. The Horned Frogs lone conference loss came at the hands of No. 21 Louisville.
TCU is led by former C-USA players of the Week, Anna Vaughn and Erin Ludeke. Vaughn leads the team with a .303 attack percentage and averages 3.34 kills per game. Ludeke, the team’s setter has averaged 14.58 assists per game in league play.
Houston Cougars (4-14. 3-3 C-USA)
Saturday, October 23, 2004 – 7:00 p.m.
The Cougars fell to two of the leagues’ top squads Cincinnati and Louisville last weekend. With the losses, Houston drops to 4-14 on the season and 3-3 in C-USA play. Houston, who was slated preseason to finish in third place in the confernence, slipped to the middle of the league race and is currently in seventh place.
Defensively Houston is led by junior libero Jaci Gonzalez, who averages a league high 5.14 digs per game. Gonzalez also holds the league record for most digs in a game, notching 35 against Ball State in September. Offensively the Cougars are led by sophomore Kelly McAnelly who averages a team high 4.21 kills per game.
Dig for the Cure- Saturday, October 23
The DePaul volleyball program, in conjunction with all of the other C-USA volleyball programs, will attempt to raise $30,000 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The Blue Demon volleyball players have solicited pledges and donations throughout the month of October - which is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Individuals have made pledges per dig or mad a blanket donation. The money raised by the Blue Demons will go to the Chicago affiliate of the Komen Foundation.
Conference USA Tournament
The 2004 ChevronTexaco Conference USA Volleyball Tournament will take place Nov. 19-22 in Louisville. The University of Louisville will serve as the host school for the four-day event, with all matches being held at Cardinal Arena on the U of L campus. The championship match on Monday, Nov. 22 will be televised by CSTV and affiliates of the Conference USA Television Network. The Blue Demons won the tournament in 2001 and Louisville is the defending champions.
Down on Ball
The Blue Demons are ranked second in C-USA in digs per game; averaging 17.22 digs per game, Marquette leads the league averaging 17.29 digs per game. Ellen Hayes leads the Blue Demons and averages 3.93 digs per game and is ranked sixth in C-USA. Amy Holmes broke into the C-USA Top-10 diggers this week, landing in the ninth position on the list of 10. Holmes averages 3.42 digs per game.
New Face in an Old Position
Senior Amy Holmes has shown her versatility this season, starting the season as one of the Blue Demons offensive threats on the outside and will end her senior season as the team’s setter. Holmes took over the starting setting position when Amie West and Mandi Caputo, (DePaul’s two setters) who are out for the season with injuries. In Holmes’ first appearance as setter, she set a new three-game high 43 assists.
Zavitz Jumps In
Redshirt freshman Aly Zavitz entered the starting line-up at UAB (October 10) when the line-up was shuffled due to the injury of Amy West. As a starter, Zavitz has recorded 10 kills, nine digs and five block assists.
Hayes Can Be Found Where…
Ellen Hayes spent the 2003 season as the team’s libero and started the 2004 season a middle blocker, but her presence was missed on defense and on September 29 she returned to the back row. Hayes has started the last seven matches s as the team’s libero and averages a team high 15.86 digs per match.
Eye on 1,000
Senior Amy Holmes is on the verge of 1,000 career digs. Prior to the 2004 season she had registered 697 digs and this season, and has 260 this season. Holmes is averaging 12.38 digs per match which paces her to record her 1,000th dig at Saint Louis on October, 29th.
Thirsty for 30
On September 29, 2004 sophomore Ellen Hayes notched a season and career high 30-digs against Valparaiso. The 30-digs in a match, is the most by a DePaul player since the Blue Demons entered Conference USA in 1995.
Out for the Season
Amie West is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, she was declared medically ineligible after the Marquette game. West finished her career at DePaul with 3,390 career assist and is in sole possession of the No. 3 for most career assists. Michelle Vonderheide (1989-1992) is second, she amassed 6,278 assist in her career.
Freshman setter, Mandi Caputo will sit out the rest of the season due to a broken finger. Caputo will use this season as her red-shirt season and will have four years of eligibility left.
Ace in the Hole
Junior Mandy Moorberg found the defensive holes in the Eastern Illinois defense, notching a season and career high seven service aces on Friday, September 17th. The team notched 11 total aces. Moorberg averages 0.50 service aces per game and is ranking her the seventh for most aces per game.
Road Block
DePaul sophomore middle blocker Denae Gibson tallied six of the teams 10 solo blocks September 24, against Evansville. Individually, Gibson tallied seven of DePaul’s 16 total team blocks. Ellen Hayes, Morgan Ingersoll, Amy Holmes, Janet Goreham, and Mandy Moorberg also recorded at least one block assist during the match.
October Birthday’s
The Blue Demons will celebrate four birthday’s during the month of October, Aly Zavitz (10/3), Stacy Pando (10/17), Mandy Moorberg (10/23) and Denae Gibson (10/29).
More from Moorberg
Junior outside hitter Mandy Moorberg leads the team in total kills, tallying 268 putaways. She is also averaging a team high 3.62 kills per game. Moorberg holds the team’s season best for most kills in a match (25), most attempts (61), most points (26.5) and most service aces (7). She was also named to the All-Tournament team at the IPFW Invitational.
Goreham Gathers Honors
Senior Middle Blocker, Janet Goreham was named the MVP of the Mizuno Wildcat Classic in Davidson, N.C. The senior compiled a .425 hitting percentage and tallied 38 kills and digs, 16 total blocks and three service aces over during the tournament. At the Blue Demon Invitational September 17-18 Goreham was named to the All-Tournament Team after averaging 4.0 kills per game and notching 13 total blocks.
Finding the Hitter
Senior setter Amie West set a new career best when she “assisted” 71 hitters in finding the wood against Virginia Commonwealth.
The Amie’s
Seniors Amy Holmes and Amie West were named to the Mizuno Wildcat Classic All-Tournament roster. Holmes finished the weekend with 37 kills, 48 digs and two blocks. West averaged 15 assists per game and tallied 135 assists over 10 games.
Undefeated Demons
DePaul opened it season with a perfect 4-0 record for the first time since the 2001 season. The 2001 team started the season 9-0 and finished with a 24-9 record and made the program’s second NCAA Tournament appearance.
Success in North Carolina
The Blue Demons captured the Mizuno Wildcat Classic Crown on September 5th in Davidson N.C. DePaul defeated Florida Atlantic (3-0), Virginia Commonwealth (3-1) and host Davidson (3-0) to earn the championship honors. The team averaged 16.90 kills, 16.10 assists and 21.20 digs during their three matches.
The Class of 2008
Redshirt freshman Aly Zavitz was joined by true freshmen Mandi Caputo, Stacy Pando and Maureen Zigulich this season. Zavitz and Pando are middle blockers, Caputo a setter and Zigulich becomes DePaul first true libero.
