DePaul University
St. John's
Blue Demons Drop Five-Set Match to St. John's
10/16/2015 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
CHICAGO - A dramatic match that saw both sides trade sets fell in St. John's favor as the Red Storm defeated DePaul, 3-2 (27-25, 24-26, 25-23, 22-25, 15-11). The Blue Demons fall to 12-8 (1-7 BIG EAST) on the year, while the Red Storm even their BIG EAST record to 4-4 and 14-9 overall.
Jasmine King was a force at the net for DePaul by tying career-high with seven blocks and added 10 kills with just one error. She also recorded five digs and a service ace.
Colleen Smith tied a career-high for assists with 58 on the night. Smith enjoyed an all-around performance that included four total blocks, six digs and a service ace.
Brittany Maxwell tallied a team-high 17 kills, her fourth match in a row with the superlative. Maxwell finished one block behind King for the team lead by tying her career-high of six.
It was a close contest between the two BIG EAST squads all night in McGrath-Phillips Arena. St. John's took the early advantage in the first set by using a 4-0 run to make the score 15-11, forcing a DePaul timeout in the rally. DePaul brought the set within two, 18-16, on a Caitlyn Coffey kill, but St. John's kept the lead alive with a 3-0 rally. The Blue Demons went on to tie the match at 21-all and traded points until the score was 25-25. A service error by DePaul and Julia Cast kill by St. John's gave the Red Storm set one.
In the second set, the tables were turned as DePaul earned the early lead of 14-9. Four straight points for St. John's midway through the set helped bring the set within one, 17-16. Attacking errors hurt the Red Storm down the stretch to guide the Blue Demons to a 23-19 advantage. Despite the four-point lead, DePaul could not hold off the Red Storm comeback as St. John's tied it at 24-24. A Coffey kill and Callie Huebener service ace put away the second frame for the Blue Demons, 26-24.
The Red Storm came out of the break in the third set with a few rallies that took their lead to 17-10. After head coach Nadia Edwards called a timeout, the Blue Demons began the climb back in the set. DePaul brought the set within three points on two occasions with the latest being 24-21 on a Coffey kill. Huebener added a service ace and DePaul forced a St. John's error to cut the lead to one, but an important kill by Mona Karkkainen sealed the set for St. John's.
With the match on the line, DePaul claimed the early lead in the fourth set and never gave it up. St. John's tied the score nine times, but never earned an advantage. Late in the set with the match at 22-21, two kills by Coffey and one by Huebener solidified a chance at a fifth and final set between the two sides.
The fifth set was all about runs for the two sides. DePaul jumped to a three-point lead after a service ace by Tyler Graham and forced a St. John's timeout. After the timeout, St. John's rallied for five points in a row to take a 6-4 lead. Three errors by the Red Storm in a row helped DePaul back into the set at 9-8. St. John's built its lead back to three, 11-8, and forced DePaul's second timeout to be called. Both teams traded points at the end of the set before St. John's ended the match with a Karin Palgutova service ace.
The Blue Demons are back at McGrath-Phillips Arena tomorrow, Oct. 17, to take on Providence. The match is set for a 7 p.m. start for the two sides.
