Blue Demons Battle with No. 22 Western Kentucky in 3-1 Setback

Friday, September 2

Bowling Green, Ohio

10:00 A.M. CT

DePaul University

0-4,0-0Big East

#22 Western Kentucky

-41,00 CUSA

DePaul

Western Ky.

Blue Demons Battle with No. 22 Western Kentucky in 3-1 Setback

9/2/2022 12:23:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

DePaul grabs a set from Hilltoppers but can't go the distance

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – In a blow for blow match with 22nd-ranked Western Kentucky, DePaul could not get over the top in a 3-1 decision on Friday morning at the Falcon Invitational presented by Hampton Inn. Despite dropping a narrow first set and taking the second from the Conference USA preseason favorites, the Blue Demons could not go the distance in the weekend opener.

Set scores of the match were 23-25, 27-25, 17-25, 16-25.

Outside hitter Jill Pressly recorded her third double-double of the 2022 season with 17 kills and 14 digs along with a pair of aces. Bailey Nelson totaled 13 kills at a .250 clip in addition to two blocks.

Freshman Grace Brooker totaled a career-high eight kills while classmate Katelynn Oxley put up five kills at a .364 mark to go along with a team-high five blocks.

Ashley Cudiamat and Maggie Jones split the setting responsibilities once again with Cudiamat tallying 20 assists and Jones 19 helpers. Rachel Krasowski collected 17 digs in the back row.

Paige Briggs and Lauren Matthews led the Hilltoppers with 21 and 16 kills, respectively.

SET ONE: DePaul controlled the tempo early and ran out to a 9-4 lead after a Pressly kill. The Hilltoppers crept back in to cut the deficit to 11-9 before a Pressly and Oxley block on the outside pushed the Blue Demons' advantage back to four. A WKU hitting error and Pressly termination stretched DePaul's lead to 19-15 in the late stages of the first. Western Kentucky pulled within one to force a Blue Demon timeout before an immediate side out put DePaul back in front by two. A late surge from the Hilltoppers would allow them to take the first set, 25-23.

SET TWO: A five-point run in the early stages of the second set allowed Western Kentucky to jump out to a 8-5 lead. The Blue Demons responded with a 5-0 run to take an 11-10 lead on a trio of kills from Pressly and Krasowski service ace. A three-point spurt put the Hilltoppers in front 16-14, but the Blue Demons would not go away, tying the score at 21 on a Maggie Jones service ace. A Jones and Aly Kindelberger block sealed the set for DePaul 27-25 and evened the match at 1-1.

SET THREE: DePaul found themselves in a 7-3 deficit in the third, before Nelson's 12th kill of the match pulled the Blue Demons within one at 10-9. A DePaul service error and a pair of service aces from the Hilltoppers stretched DePaul's deficit to five at 15-10. Taylor Underwood and Oxley combined for DePaul's sixth block of the match to inch DePaul back into the set 23-17. WKU would close out the set on back-to-back Matthews kills and take a 2-1 lead on the match.

SET FOUR: Western Kentucky jumped out to an 8-4 advantage in the fourth and never looked back as the Hilltoppers claimed a 25-16 set victory and picked up a 3-1 win.

Up Next: The Blue Demons will continue action at the Falcon Invitational presented by Hampton Inn with a 4 p.m. matchup against Northern Kentucky on Friday afternoon.