DePaul Volleyball Hosts Xavier in Wednesday Night BIG EAST Match
9/29/2015 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
CHICAGO - The BIG EAST volleyball slate continues this week for DePaul as the Blue Demons host Xavier for a night match on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. CT. DePaul (11-3, 0-2 BIG EAST) is searching for its first BIG EAST win of the season, while Xavier (7-6, 3-0 BIG EAST) attempts to remain undefeated in conference matches.
Colleen Smith and Callie Huebener return to McGrath-Phillips Arena after recording top performances for the Blue Demons last Wednesday against Butler. Smith solidified DePaul's first triple-double since 2013 when she finished with 46 assists, 10 kills and 10 digs. Huebener closed the match with 12 digs and 11 kills.
Huebener is tied for the team lead in kills for BIG EAST matches with 21, along with Brittany Maxwell and Saige Gallop. Maxwell leads the team in overall kills at 155 for 2015.
Caitlyn Coffey is first on the team with 2.88 kills per set and 40 total blocks. Coffey is averaging 0.80 blocks per set and has six solo blocks.
DePaul has the team advantage over opponents in digs with a 13.3-12.9 margin. Tyler Graham leads the way with 181 digs for a 3.42 digs per set average.
For Wednesday's match, DePaulBlueDemons.com provides live statistics and a subscription-based live video feed.
Last Year vs. Xavier
The Blue Demons dropped both matches against Xavier last year by 3-1 scoring margins. In the first match last year, Saige Gallop and Colleen Smith collected double-doubles in the four-set defeat. DePaul won the first set against Xavier before falling in sets two through four. The Blue Demons saw strong performances again from Gallop and Smith in the second meeting of 2014. Gallop tallied a match-high 21 kills and Smith notched another double-double.
Scouting The Musketeers
Xavier comes into McGrath-Phillips Arena with the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week in Abbey Bessler. She registered 33 kills, a school record, against St. John's. The Musketeers sit atop the BIG EAST standings with a 3-0 record, defeating Marquette, Providence and St. John's. Xavier is first in the BIG EAST for digs per set at 17.31. Bessler leads the Musketeers in kills with 180 over 50 sets. Meredith Klare helps XU on the back line with a 4.57 digs per set average.
