Volleyball Travels to Xavier, No. 21 Creighton

CHICAGO – DePaul volleyball will close out its four-match road swing with visits to Xavier and No. 21 Creighton, Oct 14 and Oct. 16.

The Blue Demons will meet Xavier on Friday at the Cintas Center with first serve set for 5 p.m. CT while Sunday's match at D.J. Sokol Arena in Omaha is slated to begin at 1 p.m. Both matches will stream on FloSports with live stats available on StatBroadcast.

DePaul (6-12, 2-4 BIG EAST) looks to avenge a pair of losses a week ago in a trip to the East Coast with matches at Seton Hall and St. John's. The Blue Demons sit in a tie for sixth place in the league standings just behind Butler and Xavier tied for fourth. Junior outside hitter Jill Pressly, a preseason All-BIG EAST selection, leads DePaul with 3.49 kills per set which ranks fourth in the conference. Freshman pin hitter Taylor Underwood bolsters the attack with 2.70 kps while stepping up to average 3.52 kps in BIG EAST action. Hanna Karl and Bailey Nelson provide additional offensive firepower with 2.76 and 2.16 kills per set, respectively. Aly Kindelberger's 1.10 blocks per set lands fourth among the league's best blockers while Rachel Krasowski is third amongst BIG EAST liberos with 5.00 digs per set. Marie Zidek is in her fifth season at the helm in Lincoln Park and owns a record of 50-69 (.420).

The Musketeers enter the weekend 10-6 overall and 3-3 in league action. Similar to the Blue Demons, Xavier dropped a pair of matches on the East Coast last weekend in four-set losses at Providence and Connecticut. Missouri State transfer Brooklyn Cink leads the offense for Xavier with 3.10 kps and 3.48 kps. Anna Taylor and Delaney Hogan add 2.10 kps apiece while Carrigan O'Reilly quarterbacks the offense. The 2022 season marks the eighth for head coach Christy Pfeffenberger.

Xavier has maintained a 20-8 edge in the all-time series with DePaul while the Blue Demons have picked up wins in the last two matches.

No. 21 Creighton is 14-3 and unbeaten 6-0 in BIG EAST play. The Bluejays' lone setbacks come at the hands of ranked teams Kentucky, Nebraska and Rice. Norah Sis, a 2021 All-American, paces the Creighton attack with 3.91 kills per set to go along with 2.55 digs per set. Sis leads the BIG EAST in kills while her counterpart on the pins Keely Davis is averaging 2.73 kps and 3.03 dps. Sophomore setter Kendra Wait leads the offense with 10.86 aps and 3.33 dps. Kiersten Bernthal Booth is in her 20th season leading the Creighton program.

The Bluejays hold the all-time series with the Blue Demons 19-1. DePaul's lone win came in the first meeting between the two programs in 2001.

DePaul will return home to host St. John's and Seton Hall, Oct. 21-22. Friday's match against the Red Storm will serve as a Pride celebration while Saturday's 4 p.m. match against the Pirates is DIBS Kids Club Day.

Volleyball Travels to Xavier, No. 21 Creighton

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Players Mentioned

Hanna Karl

Aly Kindelberger

Rachel Krasowski

Bailey Nelson

Jill Pressly

Taylor Underwood