Northwestern Tops DePaul in Responsive Battle

Saturday, September 15

Chicago, Ill.

10:00 A.M. CT

DePaul University

2-8

Northwestern

9-2

Northwestern

DePaul

Northwestern Tops DePaul in Responsive Battle

9/15/2018 11:33:00 AM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score

Regardless of DePaul remaining responsive, the Blue Demons could not surpass Northwestern in the three-set loss.

CHICAGO – The Blue Demons held their own point-wise but could not transcend Northwestern after falling in three sets 0-3 (22-25, 20-25, 18-25) in their first match on day two of the Chicago Cup.

"There were a lot of bright spots in today's match versus Loyola," said head coach, Marie Zidek. "We did a much better job defensively against all hitters and put our hitters in opportunities to score multiple times. That is now the challenge.

"If we can transition kill out of our defensive touches, we will be a lot closer to getting some wins."

In the first set, the first 18 points interchanged until Northwestern when on a 3-0 scoring run to raise up 11-9. Northwestern kept as much as a five-point lead until a pair of attack errors brought the Blue Demons within two, 17-19, forcing an NU timeout. An NU attack error and a Natalie Hayward service ace tied the score at 19's. After a 23-20 NU advantage, Claire Anderson dropped a huge kill straight out of a DPU timeout along with an NU attack error to bring the score within one, however, the next two points would give Northwestern the first set 25-22.

Regardless of the final point total in the first set, the Blue Demons led Northwestern in two individual categories, with Isabelle Banez leading in digs (9) and both Ashley Marshall and Isabell De La Rosa leading in blocks with two-a-piece.

DePaul was given the first point of the set on an NU attack error and the Blue Demons would hold the lead by up to three points until Northwestern was able to even out the score at 9's. The teams exchanged the next four points to meet again at 11-11 but seven of the next nine points would go to the Wildcats, putting them up 18-13 and forcing a DPU timeout. DePaul came out of the timeout hungry, as MacKenzie Savage dropped a kill into NU territory followed by two consecutive Katie Dolan service aces and a Wildcat attack error bringing the Blue Demons within one to force a Northwestern timeout. Seven of the next points would belong to Northwestern to give them the second set, 25-20.

The Blue Demons and Wildcats remained close and intertwined the first twelve points to meet at 6's. Northwestern would go on to lead 12-9, forcing a DePaul timeout. A 7-1 run from the Wildcats put them into a comfortable lead of 17-10. Regardless of a 3-0 scoring run from DePaul, featuring kills from Donna Brown, Claire Anderson and Emma Price, DPU would drop the set 18-25.

The Blue Demons will compete in their last contest of the Chicago Cup against UIC this evening at 5:00 p.m.

Live Coverage

This weekend's matches will be streamed live through ESPN. Live stats can be viewed here for all matches.

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