DePaul University
Portland State
Blue Demons Fall Short of Perfect Weekend
9/3/2016 12:00:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
FRESNO, Calif. - The DePaul volleyball team could not complete the weekend sweep Saturday afternoon, dropping the final match of the Bulldog Showdown to Portland State, 3-1 (25-16, 25-23, 27-29, 25-22). After the weekend, the Blue Demons move to 3-3 on the season, while the Vikings improved to 4-2.
Despite the loss on Saturday, the Blue Demons were crowned the champions of the Bulldog Showdown, defeating Portland and Fresno State. Brittany Maxwell was named tournament MVP after leading the Blue Demons in kills for all three matches. Myah Reed and Haley Bueser join Maxwell on the All-Tournament Team.
Maxwell finished Saturday's match with a season-high 17 kills for the Blue Demons. Bueser finished the match with a season-high 16 digs. Colleen Smith and Kelsey Horvath combined for 48 assists to help the DePaul attack.
The Saturday match started with DePaul and Portland State fighting to a score of 12-12. Portland State went on a 5-1 run to secure the first lead of four in the set. The Blue Demons cut the deficit to two at 18-16 with a Maxwell kill, but the Vikings rallied for seven straight points to win the set, 25-16.
Portland State held the advantage for the majority of the second set and claiming a lead as large as six at 19-13. DePaul answered with a 6-1 run and found itself only down by one. After another Portland State push, DePaul brought the score within one again at 24-23, but Portland State's Jenna Mullen earned the clinching point on the next series to put the Vikings up by two in the match.
In the third set, the Vikings jumped to a six-point lead after Pati Anae secured a kill, 11-5. The Blue Demons tied the match at 15-all, then again at 19-all before the two sides began trading points. Portland State went up by two late with a score of 24-22 and had a chance to close the match. DePaul came back to tie it at 24-all and eventually won the set, 29-27.
An early lead from Portland State to start the fourth set put the Vikings in the driver's seat. Down by seven late in the frame, DePaul began to crawl back into contention and were down by one late, 23-22. Portland State responded with back-to-back points to close out the set, 25-22, and match.
The Blue Demons are back in action next weekend for the DePaul Invitational Friday, Sept. 9 and Saturday, Sept. 10. DePaul hosts USF, UIC and Albany as part of the home invitational.
