DePaul University Athletics
Saturday, August 30
McGrath-Phillips Arena
7:00 PM
DePaul University
1
vs
3
Hampton
Volleyball Drops DePaul Invitational Finale to Hampton
8/30/2014 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Aug. 30, 2014
Gallop was the lone Blue Demon to finish with double-digit kills and hit for a .261 (16-4-46) clip. Rachel Breault tallied seven kills and Myah Reed contributed six.
The Blue Demons outblocked the Lady Pirates 11-6 with Randi Leath recording six block assists and one solo block. Colleen Smith, Caitlyn Coffey and Breault all tallied at least three block assists.
Vendula Strakova was named the tournament's MVP after pacing the floor with 27 kills for the Lady Pirates against DePaul. Krista Kraskura (13) and Sonja Maksimovic (10) also finished with double-digit kill totals for Hampton.
The Blue Demons dominated the net and tallied six total blocks on their way to an impressive 25-15 victory in the first set. Leath patrolled the net with authority with the sophomore middle blocker getting her hands on five block assists and was credited with a solo block.
With the Blue Demons stopping everything coming in from the Hampton side in the opening frame, DePaul held the Pirates to a .114 (13-8-44) attack percentage while it combined for an impressive .375 (13-1-42) clip. Gallop led the Blue Demons' assault with six kills while Smith and Leath each added a pair of putaways.
The two teams traded points in the second set, but the Blue Demons got stuck on 17 and the Lady Pirates closed out the frame on an 8-1 run to even the match at one set apiece.
Hampton took the third set behind a blistering .481 (15-2-27) hitting percentage. Strakova and Kraskura combined for 10 of the Lady Pirates' 15 kills. The third stanza mirrored the second as the teams traded points early before Hampton closed out the set on a 13-6 run which was keyed by
six combined kills from Strakova and Kraskura.
Strakova picked up where she left off in the third frame and tallied 10 kills for Hampton in the final frame. The Lady Pirates closed out the match by winning the fourth set 25-22.
DePaul returns to the court next weekend at Chicago State's Windy City Invitational. The Blue Demons open the tournament at 5 p.m. against Syracuse on Sept. 5 and play local rivals UIC and Chicago State on Saturday.
Notes: This was the first meeting between the two programs... Saige Gallop's 16 kills matched a season-best (Stony Brook)... Lexi Chanos set a career-best in digs for the second straight match in a row with 17... With a .566 attack percentage against Hampton, Colleen Smith has led the Blue Demons in that category in all three matches this season... Smith also set a career-high with four block assists... Rachel Breault tallied a season-high seven kills... Hampton won the DePaul Invitational for the first time in program history... Vendula Strakova's 27 kills were the most DePaul has surrendered to a player this season.
Photo Gallery 
CHICAGO - Despite 16 kills from Saige Gallop, the DePaul women's volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (15-25, 25-18, 25-19, 25-22) match to Hampton on Saturday at McGrath-Phillips Arena. Hampton improved to 3-0 on the season and won the DePaul Invitational. The Blue Demons fell to 2-1 on the year and finished the tournament in third place.
Gallop was the lone Blue Demon to finish with double-digit kills and hit for a .261 (16-4-46) clip. Rachel Breault tallied seven kills and Myah Reed contributed six.
The Blue Demons outblocked the Lady Pirates 11-6 with Randi Leath recording six block assists and one solo block. Colleen Smith, Caitlyn Coffey and Breault all tallied at least three block assists.
Vendula Strakova was named the tournament's MVP after pacing the floor with 27 kills for the Lady Pirates against DePaul. Krista Kraskura (13) and Sonja Maksimovic (10) also finished with double-digit kill totals for Hampton.
The Blue Demons dominated the net and tallied six total blocks on their way to an impressive 25-15 victory in the first set. Leath patrolled the net with authority with the sophomore middle blocker getting her hands on five block assists and was credited with a solo block.
With the Blue Demons stopping everything coming in from the Hampton side in the opening frame, DePaul held the Pirates to a .114 (13-8-44) attack percentage while it combined for an impressive .375 (13-1-42) clip. Gallop led the Blue Demons' assault with six kills while Smith and Leath each added a pair of putaways.
The two teams traded points in the second set, but the Blue Demons got stuck on 17 and the Lady Pirates closed out the frame on an 8-1 run to even the match at one set apiece.
Hampton took the third set behind a blistering .481 (15-2-27) hitting percentage. Strakova and Kraskura combined for 10 of the Lady Pirates' 15 kills. The third stanza mirrored the second as the teams traded points early before Hampton closed out the set on a 13-6 run which was keyed by
six combined kills from Strakova and Kraskura.
Strakova picked up where she left off in the third frame and tallied 10 kills for Hampton in the final frame. The Lady Pirates closed out the match by winning the fourth set 25-22.
DePaul returns to the court next weekend at Chicago State's Windy City Invitational. The Blue Demons open the tournament at 5 p.m. against Syracuse on Sept. 5 and play local rivals UIC and Chicago State on Saturday.
Notes: This was the first meeting between the two programs... Saige Gallop's 16 kills matched a season-best (Stony Brook)... Lexi Chanos set a career-best in digs for the second straight match in a row with 17... With a .566 attack percentage against Hampton, Colleen Smith has led the Blue Demons in that category in all three matches this season... Smith also set a career-high with four block assists... Rachel Breault tallied a season-high seven kills... Hampton won the DePaul Invitational for the first time in program history... Vendula Strakova's 27 kills were the most DePaul has surrendered to a player this season.
2014 DePaul Invitational
Champion: Hampton (3-0)
Runner-Up: Stony Brook (2-1)
Third Place: DePaul (1-2)
Fourth Place: Bradley (0-3)
All-Tournament Team
MVP: Vendula Strakova, Hampton
Saige Gallop, DePaul
Jessie Tulacka, Bradley
Kathy Fletcher, Stony Brook
Players Mentioned
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