DePaul University Athletics
Blue Demons Tame Bulls in Five
10/23/2005 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
DePaul 3, USF 2
DePaul freshman setter Mandi Caputo piloted the Blue Demons dishing out 43 assists, while picking up 5 kills for a .385 attack percentage. The freshman also registered a team high 14 digs. The Blue Demons offense was on fire hitting a season high .298 and five players, Stacy Pando, Morgan Ingersoll, Caitlin Callaghan, Cristina Correa and Caputo finished with attack percentages over .300. Ingersoll led the Blue Demons for the third consecutive match, tallying 18 kills for a .366 attack percentage. Ingersoll also chipped in six digs.
Both teams came out swinging in game one, but it was the Bulls who took the first game 30-23. The Blue Demons jumped out to a 3-1 advantage, but USF stormed back on a 8-1 run to take a 9-4 lead. The Blue Demons answered with a run of their own to tie the game at 10 but it was the USF offense commanded by Michelle Stalbaum continued to roll and pulled game one out of reach for the Blue Demons. Stalbaum finished game one with six kills and a .714 attack percentage.
The Blue Demons jumped out to an 8-4 lead and never looked back as they won game two 30-24. Ingersoll led DePaul with five kills and Callaghan chipped in four of her own. The Bulls pulled within one twice during the game, but timely errors and heads up DePaul defense stymied the USF attack.
Game three saw the Blue Demons and Bulls battle through seven ties and two lead changes, but the Bulls were able to pull out a 30-19 win. Tied at 15, USF strung together a 15-4 run to take the third game.
Stuck in a stalemate, Correa served up four straight points to give the Blue Demons a 14-8 lead in game four. DePaul extended its lead to 20-13 on senior outside hitter Mandy Moorberg's kill and continued its offensive dominance to force a fifth game. Ingersoll led the Blue Demons with five kills and Moorberg and Correa each added three.
Sophomore outside hitter Aly Zavitz led the Blue Demons to a game five victory recording four kills, including the game winner. Tied at eight, Caputo jumped through the roof to block Ashley Reavis attack and steal the game's momentum. Following the block DePaul went on a 6-1 run to put the game and match out of reach. The Blue Demons won game five, 15-12.
Stalbaum led all players with 26 kills for a .327 attack percentage. USF's Kristina Fabris and Johari Williams also finished the match with double-digit kills.
Defensively, freshmen libero Maureen Zigulich registered 12 of the Blue Demons 60 digs. Pando came up big at the net, notching four of DePaul's seven total blocks.
The Blue Demons will return to the court next weekend to host BIG EAST conference members
