Banez Leads Individual Categories in Digs for Second-Consecutive BIG EAST Match

Sunday, September 23

Providence, R.I.

12:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

2-11 (0-2BIG EAST)

Providence

7-6 (1-1BIG EAST)

DePaul

Providence

Banez Leads Individual Categories in Digs for Second-Consecutive BIG EAST Match

9/23/2018 3:28:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score

Sophomore libero Isabelle Banez led both teams in digs for her second-consecutive BIG EAST match, totalling 30 against Providence.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – After the first two sets ended in DePaul's favor, the momentum slipped away and the Blue Demons dropped to BIG EAST foe, Providence 2-3 (28-26, 26-24, 15-25, 19-25, 10-15), transforming DePaul's record to 2-11 (0-2 BIG EAST).

For the second-consecutive BIG EAST match, Isabelle Banez topped both teams in digs, with 30 and the second highest being 21 from a Providence unit. In Friday's match against Creighton, Banez out-dug the opponents, totaling 14 in the match.

Some last-minute suspense would arrive in the first set, as Providence led the way for a majority of the stanza, but DePaul would call a timeout being down by one at set point that would set up a winning tempo for the Blue Demons.

Going into the first timeout of the set, DePaul had put up three points, courtesy of kills from Isabell De La Rosa, Emma Price and Ashley Marshall, however, DPU would be trailing by five points. DePaul would later go on a 4-0 run from back-to-back Marshall kills, a Banez service ace and a PC attack error, to force a Friar timeout. With both teams battling back and forth, Claire Anderson would pounce on the ball, slamming it into Providence territory to bring DePaul within one at 15-16. Things got especially interesting when De La Rosa struck the ball past the Friars to even the score at 20's. Being down by one at set-point, Marie Zidek called a timeout that the Blue Demons would come out of adamant for the win, as they went on to take the first set 28-26.

The first set found the Blue Demons topping in the charts in five different individual categories. Price led both teams in points (7.5) and in kills (7), De La Rosa led both teams in hitting (.750%) and blocks (2), and Banez led in digs (7).

The second set brought no less anticipation, as the difference would remain narrow throughout. With DePaul falling behind 5-11 early on, an eventual 3-0 run featuring a Katie Dolan service ace and a pair of PC attack errors would bring the Blue Demons within three, forcing a Friar timeout. With Providence jumping back into a comfortable lead, a 4-1 run from DePaul that featured kills from freshmen Mattie Norris and Natalie Hayward, posed a threat, finding DePaul down by just one point at 21-20. After another DePaul timeout, an Anderson kill would cap off the second set, with DePaul winning 25-24.

The DePaul momentum slipped away in the third set, regardless of a strong start. The Blue Demons claimed three of the first five points on kills from De La Rosa, Anderson and Price, however, DePaul would quickly fall into a 9-4 deficit. With the Friars leading 21-12 at a timeout, Providence went on to take their first set, 25-15.

With a Dolan service ace binding the fourth set at 3's, Providence would then go on to gain some distance on a lead. With Providence leading by up to nine points, the DePaul offense would awaken to go on a 3-0 run, but the Friars would score two more points to take the set, 25-19, forcing a fifth set.

The Friars jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fifth stanza and regardless of DePaul coming within one point at 8-9, Providence went on to take the match with a 15-10 victory in the final set.

The Blue Demons will return to McGrath-Phillips Arena next weekend to host their first 2018 BIG EAST matches. On Friday, Sept. 28, DePaul will host Villanova in a 7:00 p.m. contest and will go on to host Georgetown the following day at 6:00 p.m.

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