DePaul University Athletics
Volleyball Drops Match to Villanova
9/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
CHICAGO The DePaul volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (30-23, 30-26, 30-22) BIG EAST Conference match to Villanova Saturday at McGrath Arena. The Blue Demons fall to 4-12 on the season and 0-3 in conference play, while the Wildcats improve to 10-6 and 2-1 in the league.
The Blue Demons were unable to find an offensive rhythm as they hit .067 for match and tallied just 33 kills. Conversely, the Wildcats found their offensive tempo as three players finished with double-digit kill totals. Senior outside hitter Alona Cherkez led all players with 18 kills, Kacy Sellers followed with 11 and Dana Tartazky chipped in 10.
DePaul freshman middle blocker Kate Letcher paced the Blue Demons' offense with nine kills for a .438 attack percentage, while the freshmen duo of outside hitter Charla Drabant and middle blocker Jacie Fiedler each chipped in eight kills on the afternoon.
Villanova started the match on fire and hit a sizzling match-high .350 and had 19 kills compared to the Blue Demons 12 kills for a .167 attack percentage in game one. Villanova took an 18-12 lead, but the Blue Demons used a balance attack and strung together an 8-2 run to tie the game at 20 and force a Wildcat timeout. Following the timeout, Villanova closed out the game on a 10-3 run and won the set 30-23. Alona Cherkez led the Wildcat attack with eight kills.
The Blue Demons controlled the first half of the second game and took a 17-14 lead on a kill by sophomore Sarah Cullen. Following a kill by Cherkez and two unforced DePaul errors; the Wildcats tied the game at 17 and took the lead for good at 18-17 on a third straight Blue Demon error. Villanova went on to win the second game 30-26 and Sellers paced the floor with five kills.
The Wildcats stymied the Blue Demons' offense in the final set as DePaul notched just nine kills compared to Villanova's 16. Up 12-11, the Wildcats went on a 7-2 run to extend their lead to 19-13 and force a Blue Demon timeout. Following the timeout, Villanova closed out the game 11-9 run and won the game 30-22.
Defensively, both team finished with nine total blocks. Fiedler led all players with a solo block and four block assists, while Villanova's Whitney Harrington had five block assists.
Tartazky finished with a double-double and paced the floor with 14 digs. DePaul senior libero Maureen Zigulich followed with 13 digs and Christy Landschoot finished 11. Landschoot also dished out 26 assists for her sixth double-double of the season.
The Blue Demons return to the court on Sunday, when they host BIG EAST rival Seton Hall at 2 p.m. DePaul will also celebrate Alumni Day on Sunday.
