DePaul Downs Xavier 3-2 on Saturday Afternoon

Saturday, February 20

Chicago, Ill.

1:00 P.M. CT

DePaul University

1-3,1-3Big East

Xavier

3-4,1-1Big East

Xavier

DePaul

DePaul Downs Xavier 3-2 on Saturday Afternoon

2/20/2021 5:29:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Blue Demons complete the reverse sweep to pick up first win of the season

CHICAGO – Less than 24 hours after dropping a five-set match to Xavier on Friday evening, the DePaul volleyball team showed tremendous fight and came out on top on Saturday afternoon, 3-2 (25-27, 19-25, 25-20, 26-24, 15-2).

The Musketeers took the first two sets before the Blue Demons battled back to win the ensuing three to claim the match.

Freshman Jill Pressly led the way for DePaul (1-3, 1-3 BIG EAST) with 19 kills and just four errors to hit at a .385 clip. Bailey Nelson posted 11 kills while Avarie Evans-Allen added 10 from the middle.

Freshman Phoenix Lee registered the first double-double of her career with 36 assists and 11 digs to go along with five service aces.

Donna Brown proved to be a force at the net with four solo blocks on the afternoon. Libero Rachel Krasowski anchored the back line with 17 digs.

'To save two match points shows the tremendous resiliency of this group. What a true team win full of everyone stepping up at different times to make a game changing play" said Marie Zidek after the victory.

"Jill's block on Hogan and Rach's digs on the setter along with Avarie's net play on a couple dig jam situations just allowed us to keep pushing as the aggressor. Our serves were so tough today as well - Phoenix with five aces, Meredith Wallace coming off the bench and providing a spark for us - I mean, this is what we know our team is capable of."

"To play back-to-back five set matches and come out with a win today against a very good defensive Xavier team just speaks volumes to what this team can do. Season defining win right here. So proud of everyone's efforts."

DePaul jumped out to an early 6-1 advantage in set one behind the first of five Lee service aces and kills from Nelson, Brown and Pressly. The Musketeers called a timeout trailing 10-5 before rallying to tie the set at 14 off of a Carrigan O'Reilly kill. A Nelson kill pushed the DePaul lead to 23-20 before a 3-0 Xavier run knotted the score once again. Both sides traded points before two-consecutive successful swings by the Musketeers clinched the set for the visitors, 27-25.

In the second set, errors plagued DePaul in the early going as Xavier opened a 22-11 margin. The Blue Demons would go on to win nine of the next 11 points behind tough serving and excellent net play to close the deficit at 24-19. A Lauren Hanlon kill would clinch the set for Xavier and give the Musketeers a 2-0 lead.

The Blue Demons utilized a late surge in the second set to propel them in the third set. Both squads remained within striking distance of each other for the entirety of the third set with the largest lead of the set coming at 23-18 for DePaul. A Lee service ace paired with a Pressly kill pushed DePaul to 25 points to begin the comeback.

Two Brown kills and two Pressly service aces set the tone for the fourth set as DePaul raced out to an early 8-3 lead. The Blue Demons maintained a five-point advantage through 17-12 before the a 6-0 Xavier run gave the opposition the lead at 18-17. A Pressly solo block on fellow freshman Hogan tied the score at 22. DePaul dug deep and staved off two Musketeers match points behind huge blocks from Brown and Nelson to extend the set and eventually force a deciding set.

The fifth set saw an early 7-1 DePaul advantage, but Xavier was not going away quietly. The Musketeers came within two at 12-10 before a Xavier attack error and swings from Pressly and Meredith Wallace gave DePaul the deciding set and its first win of the season.

DePaul returns to action on Friday, Feb. 26 for the first of two matches with Butler at McGrath-Phillips Arena. First serve is set for 3 p.m.