Blue Demons Struggle with Marquette

Marquette 3, DePaul 0

CHICAGO-  The DePaul volleyball team was unable to spark its offense Sunday, dropping a 3-0 (30-24, 31-29, 30-15) BIG EAST match to the visiting Marquette Golden Eagles. 

The Blue Demons (4-16, 0-4 BIG EAST)came up big at the net, out blocking Marquette 10.5 blocks to 9.0 blocks. DePaul senior Ellen Hayes and junior Stacy Pando each registered five block assists, while junior Aly Zavitz and senior Deane Gibson chipped in four block assists apiece. 

The first two games proved to be the tightest as there were 16 tie scores and eight lead changes in the opening frames.  Game one saw the Blue Demons take a 23-21 lead, but the Golden Eagles closed out the game on a 7-1 run. Marquette's Jamie Mueller and Hayes led their respective teams with six kills in the first game.

Neither team controlled the tempo in the second set as costly errors plagued both sides.  DePaul won the hitting percentage war, hitting a dismal .027 while Marquette hit .000.  Marquette faced game point at the 29-28 mark, but DePaul senior Morgan Ingersoll terminated the ball to force the game into extra points.  The Blue Demons, however could sustain their momentum as the Golden Eagles won the game on a kill and a DePaul ball handling error. 

Marquette (8-9, 3-3 BIG EAST) terminated the ball well in the final frame, hitting a match-high .421 and sailed to a 30-15 victory. Nicole Wallace led the Golden Eagles with six kills in the final set.

For the second consecutive match, Ingersoll led the Blue Demons with 11 of the team's 29 kills.  Hayes chipped in nine kills and led the defense with 12 digs.

Mueller led all players with 13 kills and a .440 attack percentage. 

The Blue Demons break from conference play to tangle with City of Chicago rival, Chicago State. The first serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Jacoby Dickens Athletic and Physical Education Center Tuesday.  

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