DePaul Falls to Xavier in Tight Five Set Match

Wednesday, September 25

McGrath-Phillips Arena

6:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

8-5

Xavier

4-7

Xavier

DePaul

DePaul Falls to Xavier in Tight Five Set Match

9/25/2019 8:37:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score

CHICAGO - DePaul opened up BIG EAST play at McGrath-Phillips Arena in a five set match that went down to the final play, but ultimately fell to Xavier 2-3 (23-25, 25-22, 25-20, 23-25, 14-16) Wednesday evening. DePaul is now 8-5 on the season.

Isabelle Banez saw a career-high 37 digs in the thrilling league-opening contest.

FROM ZIDEK
"Good battle tonight," said head coach Marie Zidek. "We played ourselves into a nice position to win and we just didn't capitalize on a few plays to end the match. I've said it about the team a lot this year, we are going to battle and battle hard. We have offense, defense and a really good system in place. We just need to continue to learn how to push in pressured moments and that can only be done by being in them. Looking forward to St. John's on Friday."

HOW IT HAPPENED
SET ONE » The first point of the match went to DePaul on a Xavier service error. A Musketeer attack error and a kill from Brittany Maxwell would push DePaul into a 3-0 lead. The Blue Demons would soon lead 4-1 after Xavier tacked on its first point and Bailey Nelson struck the second DPU kill. Xavier would eventually come within two points of DePaul at 6-8 and a Donna Brown kill would bring about a Xavier timeout. The Blue Demons held a narrow lead for a majority of the set, but the teams would meet at 21-21. DePaul managed to tack on two more points courtesy of kills from Maxwell and Avarie Evans-Allen but Xavier would take the first set 25-23.

SET TWO » Xavier would mirror DePaul's start to the first set by jumping out to a 3-0 lead. Five knots in the score would occur before Xavier snatched back the lead. DePaul called the first timeout of the set being down 13-16. Out of the stoppage, Xavier maintained a narrow lead. Kills from Evans-Allen and Donna Brown closed in on the deficit, forcing a Xavier timeout with DePaul being down 20-22. The Blue Demons went on a 5-0 run out of the break courtesy of four Xavier attack errors and a kill from Brown to give DPU the second set 25-22.

SET THREE » DePaul took a 2-1 lead on an attack error and a kill from Maxwell. A 5-0 run from the Blue Demons due to kills from Maxwell, Anderson and Evans-Allen and a pair of XU attack errors would lift DePaul up 8-3, forcing a Xavier timeout. A later 2-0 run on kills from Emma Price and Brown would double DePaul's lead at 10-5. DePaul did not give up the lead for the remainder of the set. Xavier called one last timeout with DePaul leading 21-15 and a kill from Maxwell gave DePaul its second set 25-20.

SET FOUR » The first half of the set was a back-and-forth battle with 13 knots in the score before a 2-0 run gave Xavier a 18-16 lead, leading to DePaul's first timeout. Out of the stoppage, Xavier went on a 3-0 run to maintain the lead but DePaul fought back on a 5-0 run courtesy of kills from Maxwell, Price and then three-consecutive Maxwell kills to tie the score 21-21. The score remained close but Xavier would take the fourth set 25-23.

SET FIVE » A kill from Maxwell would open up the set but Xavier would jump into a large lead of 7-2. DePaul trailed for the entirety of the set before going on a crucial 4-0 run courtesy of kills from Maxwell, Brown, Anderson and a XU attack error. With the score knotted 14-14, the final two points would go to the Musketeers, giving them the final set 16-14.

LEADERS

Kills » Brittany Maxwell (24)
Assists » Natalie Hayward (39)
Digs » Isabelle Banez (37)
Solo Blocks » Avarie Evans-Allen (3)
Aces » Isabelle Banez (1)

UP NEXT
DePaul's will remain on home territory for the next two BIG EAST matches, hosting St. John's this Friday at 7 p.m. CT and Seton Hall Saturday at 6 p.m. CT before going back on the road.

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