DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Eastern Illinois
Volleyball Wins DePaul Invitational with Victory over Eastern Illinois
9/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Box Score: DePaul 3, Eastern Illinois 1 
CHICAGO - In the championship match of the DePaul Invitational, the host Blue Demons (5-1) took home the championship trophy by defeating Eastern Illinois (5-2), 3-1 (25-21, 24-26, 26-24,26-24). Saige Gallop and Caitlyn Coffey led the attack for DePaul with 18 and 16 kills, respectively.
Gallop made the All-Tournament team along with Colleen Smith. Smith ended the night with 46 assists, eight digs and three kills.
Coffey, the Tournament MVP, finished the match with a .520 attacking percentage to go along with her double-digit kills.
For the second time today, Tyler Graham led the team in digs with 13 on the night.
Each set of the final match was a nail-biter between the two teams. Both teams traded points early in the match. DePaul had the advantage midway through the first set with a 14-9 lead. The Blue Demons held off the Panthers long enough to win the first frame, 25-21.
DePaul and Eastern Illinois kept the drama going in McGrath-Phillips Arena for the second set. With six lead changes and 13 ties, it was a battle each serve for a two-point advantage. After a late kill by Gallop to give the Blue Demons the lead, 24-23, the Panthers went on a 3-0 run. EIU claimed the set with an important set point kill by Allie Hueston that earned the second set for the Panthers, 26-24.
With the teams locked at one set each, the back-and-forth play continued in an identical fashion for the third frame. A total of 11 ties and five lead changes occurred between the two sides. This time it was DePaul with the comeback after being down, 24-22. A 4-0 run was capped off by a kill from Coffey and the Blue Demons took the 2-1 lead.
DePaul rode the momentum from the previous set to gain the advantage early in the fourth set. Despite holding the early lead, the Blue Demons could not build a lead of more than five against the Panthers. In the closing moments of the set, EIU tied the score at 23 and 24-all. DePaul earned point number 25 on a Saige Gallop kill and won the championship on an EIU error to win the set, 26-24.
Eastern Illinois had more kills than DePaul in the match (62-57), but committed eight more attacking errors on the night. Both teams had an even number of total team blocks with seven.
DePaul volleyball travels to Atlanta, Ga. next weekend for the Georgia State Invitational. The Blue Demons pull a doubleheader on Friday, September 11 against Radford and Grambling State and follow up with host Georgia State on Saturday, September 12.
DePaul Invitational All-Tournament Team
DePaul - Saige Gallop, Colleen Smith
Eastern Illinois - Allie Hueston
Evansville - Genesis Miranda
Toledo - Rachel Vidourek
Tournament MVP - Caitlyn Coffey, DePaul
