DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Closes Season Against USF and Georgetown
11/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
CHICAGO - The DePaul volleyball team closes out the 2009 season with BIG EAST Conference matches against USF and Georgetown this weekend at McGrath Arena. The Blue Demons and Bulls tangle at 6 p.m. on November 13 to lead off Friday night's volleyball/women's basketball doubleheader. Following the volleyball match, the basketball squad takes the floor to open its season against Central Michigan. The volleyball team returns to the court on Sunday, when they welcome the Hoya's to Lincoln Park at 2 p.m.
Despite suffering back-to-back losses last weekend, Chandler Carney hit a weekend-high 17 kills, while Sarah Cullen tallied 16. Christy Landschoot dished out an impressive 32 assists against Syracuse before combining with Sammy Geiger for 19 versus Marquette.
Prior to the first serve on Sunday, the Blue Demons will pause and recognize the accomplishments of senior Cullen. The program's lone senior enters this week with 946 kills and 1,126 career digs. She will end her career with 116 matches played and over 400 sets.
Cullen's Last Curtain Call
Senior standout Sarah Cullen began her Blue Demon career shouldering the setting duties during her freshman year. In her 11 starts as a setter, she averaged 31.45 assists per match, including a career-best 45 versus Connecticut. During her sophomore she moved over to the outside hitter position and immediately emerged as one of the go-to attackers in the DePaul lineup. She started in all 28 matches during the 2007 season, while averaging a team-best 2.81 digs per game. Following her junior campaign, Cullen was voted the team's Most Outstanding Performer and led the Blue Demons with 415 kills and 312 digs. She was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after registering 33 kills and 21 digs in a single weekend. As of November 8, 2009 Cullen has finished 58 matches with more than 10 digs, 49 matches with more than 10 kills, and has hit the double-digit mark in both on 36 occasions. The three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection will leave DePaul with a Bachelor's in Communication.
Run of the Bulls
USF enters this weekend with an 8-4 BIG EAST record (16-7 overall), and has already clinched its spot in the 2009 league tournament. In last weekend's competition, the Bulls dropped 0-3 decision to Cincinnati before defeating Louisville in straight sets. Marcela Gurgel leads USF with 321 kills while ranking fourth in the BIG EAST with 3.96 kills-per-game. In addition, she also touts a league-best 1.59 blocks-per-game. The Blue Demons first faced the Bulls in 1991 when DePaul walked away with a 3-0 victory. USF currently holds a 5-12 all-time series lead over the Blue Demons.
Halting the Hoyas
Sarah Cullen Day will be celebrated in conjunction with the final match of the season versus Georgetown. Last weekend the Hoyas, 13-15 (3-9 BIG EAST), issued Cincinnati its second conference loss of the year, stunning the Bearcats, 3-0, before bowing out to Louisville 3-1. Prior to traveling to Lincoln Park, Georgetown stops in Indiana on Friday to face league leader Notre Dame. The Hoyas top the BIG EAST standings, allowing just 10.87 kills-per-game, while Vanessa Dorismond boasts 303 kills on a .295 attack percentage. While Georgetown holds a 3-5 all-time series lead over DePaul, the Blue Demons have won the last two contests.
Notes
With 2,372 career assists, junior Christy Landschoot inches closer to Sheila Carroll's 2,816 fourth place total on the all-time assists list.... senior outside hitter Sarah Cullen has nine double-doubles (kills-digs) this season and 36 in her career... Chandler Carney followed up her career-high 13 kills against Rutgers with team-high 25 versus Seton Hall... Cullen leads the team with 294 kills and 291 digs... Landschoot dished out 50 assists against Seton Hall to set a new season-high and tie Sammy Geiger's 50 assists from earlier in the year... other Blue Demons to record a double-doubles include Landschoot (assists-digs) and Sammy Geiger (kills-assists)... Kate Letcher has surpassed the 10-kill total eight times this season while Carney has eclipsed double digits six times... Cullen has reached double figures in digs during 16 matches this season to lead the squad, while Chelsea Thurlby has reached the plateau 14 times... while Lauren Blasi tops the overall blocks total with 45, Carney has recorded an impressive eight solo blocks... Georgetown leads the all-time series versus DePaul 3-5, but the Blue Demons have won the last two contests... USF holds a 5-12 all-time series advantage over DePaul.
