Balanced Attack Lifts DePaul Over Loyola 3-1

Saturday, September 17

Chicago, Ill.

10:00 A.M. CT

DePaul University

4-7,0-0Big East

Loyola Chicago

6-6,0-0Atlantic 10

DePaul

Loyola Chicago

9/17/2022 1:01:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Pressly, Nelson and Underwood go for double-digit kills as Blue Demons hit season-best .314

CHICAGO – Three Blue Demons registered double-digit kills as DePaul hit a season-high .314 in a 3-1 win over Loyola Chicago Saturday morning on day two of the Chicago Cup.

Set scores of the match were: 25-17, 24-26, 25-14, 25-23.

Jill Pressly totaled 17 kills at a .368 clip to go along with 10 digs for her sixth double-double of the 2022 campaign. Senior right side Bailey Nelson hit .348 on the match and put down 11 kills in addition to three blocks. Taylor Underwood bolstered the Blue Demons attack with 10 kills on 19 errorless swings.

Rachel Krasowski picked up a match-high 15 digs while dishing out six assists while setter Ashley Cudiamat tallied 28 assists and seven digs. Aly Kindelberger nearly matched her career-high with seven blocks in the middle.

The Blue Demons outpaced the Ramblers at the net 11-4 while dropping in five service aces to Loyola's two.

Set One: The Blue Demons used a 4-0 run on kills from four different attackers to jump ahead 12-9 in the first set. A pair of Underwood kills on the right side stretched the DePaul lead to 19-15. DePaul grabbed six of the last eight points to take the set 25-17 and a 1-0 lead on the match. The Blue Demons hit .314 in the opening set.

Set Two: DePaul took a 12-9 lead before a 4-1 run by the Ramblers evened the score at 13. Loyola went on a three-point spurt to claim a 17-15 lead and force a Blue Demons timeout. Underwood's fifth kill of the afternoon provided a quick side-out followed by a Loyola attacking error knotted the set at 17. The Ramblers answered back with a 5-2 run to take a 22-19 advantage. Consecutive Loyola attack errors evened the set once again at 23. Pressly's seventh kill of the match wiped away a set point before Loyola took the set 26-24 to even the match 1-1.

Set Three: The Blue Demons responded with a 6-1 lead to start the third set. A four-point run from the Ramblers cut the advantage to one at 7-6. With Julia Nagy behind the service line, DePaul scored eight points unanswered to take control of the set, 19-10. A block on the outside from Griffith and Grace Brooker claimed the set 25-14 and gave DePaul a 2-1 lead in the match. The Blue Demons hit a scintillating .429 in the third set.

Set Four: Three-consecutive Loyola attack errors pushed DePaul in front 10-8 in the early going of the fourth set. Nelson's 10th put away of the match provided separation for DePaul at 13-9. A 5-1 run from the Ramblers tied the score at 14. An Underwood kill followed by a pair of errant Loyola swings saw DePaul jump in front 20-18. A 4-2 run from the Ramblers evened the score at 22. A kill from Nelson and a Loyola attack error gave DePaul the set 25-23 and the match.

From Head Coach Marie Zidek: "Really great response to close out that match against a scrappy Loyola team. Our attacking was super-efficient. Bailey had a clutch kill in a high-pressure moment and Julia provided a great spark off the bench to regain momentum in set 3. Really important win for us."

Up Next: DePaul will close out competition at the Chicago Cup on Saturday evening against UIC at 7 p.m.