DePaul University
Providence
Blue Demons Sweep Friars to Close Weekend
10/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
CHICAGO - The DePaul volleyball team closed out a four-game home stand Saturday night with a sweep of visiting Providence, 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-22). The Blue Demons improve to 12-11 on the season and 6-5 in BIG EAST play, while Providence falls to 13-13 overall and 1-9 in the BIG EAST.
Caitlyn Coffey and Jasmine King led the Blue Demons on offense with 14 and 12 kills, respectively. Coffey added three blocks and two service aces.
Colleen Smith notched 36 assists on the night. The senior eclipsed a career mark of 4,000 assists in the third set and is just the third student-athlete in program history to reach the mark.
Haley Bueser registered 16 digs to lead DePaul defensively.
The match opened with a first set that saw 10 ties and two lead changes. DePaul had the early lead at 6-2 with back-to-back kills from Rachel Breault and Coffey. Providence tied the set shortly after at 7-7. The two sides traded points to be deadlocked at 16-all before DePaul went on a 5-0 rally, capped by a King kill. With set point on the line, King secured her sixth kill of the night to put DePaul up in the match.
In the second set, it was all DePaul after taking a 9-5 lead, forcing a Providence timeout. The Friars brought the set within one at 9-8 with a block, but that would be as close as Providence would get to the Blue Demon lead. DePaul went on an 8-1 run and grabbed the 17-9 advantage. Despite a 3-0 run from Providence, DePaul cruised to win the second set, 25-14, off a Breault kill.
A 9-3 lead to start the third frame helped put DePaul in a comfortable position. Providence called a timeout shortly after and cut the lead to three. DePaul and Providence went back and forth with DePaul hanging on to its lead. The Blue Demons were set up for match point off a Providence serving error, but the Friars answered with a 3-0 rally to set the score at 24-22. With Providence serving, Claire Anderson produced the final kill of the night and helped DePaul sweep Providence.
With the win Saturday night, DePaul set a program-best mark for wins in BIG EAST play since joining the conference in 2005. The win also marks the most wins in conference play since 2001 in Conference USA.
The Blue Demons head on the road for the first time in almost three weeks to take on Georgetown and Villanova next weekend. DePaul visits Georgetown for a 5 p.m. CT start and follows at Villanova for a 6 p.m. CT start.
