Blue Demons Topped by Valpo

Friday, August 31

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

9:00 A.M. CT

DePaul University

1-2

Valparaiso

4-1

Valparaiso

DePaul

8/31/2018 10:53:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score

DePaul will return at 6:30 p.m. this evening with a match against host Central Michigan.

CHIPPEWA, Mich. – The Blue Demons put up a battle in the final stanza, but fell in three sets to Valparaiso (7-25, 10-25, 19-25) in their first match of the Chippewa Invitational. DPU now sits 1-2 on the season.

"We had a lot of trouble today putting the ball away against a good defensive Valpo team," said head coach Marie Zidek. "Our hitters are hungry to right the ship tonight versus Central Michigan and we look forward to another great opportunity to get better."

In the first set, Valparaiso would jump out to the lead and eventually halt DePaul at five points, taking a 22-5 lead. Last attempt kills from Avarie Evans-Allen and Emma Price could only bring the Blue Demons to seven points in the 25-7 loss.

The Crusaders accommodated a 9-3 lead early on in the second set. Kills from four different DePaul sources, two being from Isabell De La Rosa and two from Evans-Allen and a cluster of Valpo errors would stack on a few more DPU points, but DePaul would drop the set 25-10.

DePaul captured their sole lead of the match on a Valpo service error before the Crusaders went on a five-point run that would eventually become a 12-4 lead. A four-point DPU scoring drive featuring two Natalie Hayward kills, a kill from Katie Dolan and a Valpo attack error would bring the Blue Demons within four at 12-8. Nearing the end of the set, a three point run with back-to-back Price kills and a Claire Anderson kill would bring only a two-point separation 16-14. Another Price kill and an attack error from VPU would introduce the tightest score of the match 17-16, forcing a Crusader timeout. The Blue Demons stayed in the fight but would fall 25-19.

DePaul will play in a match at 6:30 p.m. this evening against host Central Michigan and will wrap up the invitational tomorrow with a noon match against La Salle.