DePaul University
Connecticut
Blue Demons Return to Lincoln Park to Host UConn, Providence
10/26/2023 4:00:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
DePaul hosts first home match since Oct. 7
CHICAGO - DePaul volleyball is back at McGrath-Phillips Arena on Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28 to host UConn and Providence. This will be the Blue Demons' first match at home since Oct. 7, ending a two-week road swing.Â
First serve against the Huskies will be at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 27 with streaming on FloVolleyball, while the match against Providence will begin at 4 p.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 28 with streaming on Marquee Sports Network.
"Pivotal matches ahead for us as the final eight matches approach and a certain number of wins are necessary to qualify," said head coach Marie Zidek. "We have been working very hard all year knowing that it may all come down to how well we handle pressure towards the end of the year. We have been improving program culture and situational awareness as well as being very diligent on developing every player on our roster, and I think that is showing with our ability to remain competitive despite continued player availability adversity. We are going to give everything we have vs. UConn on Friday. UConn has developed more players that are having big impacts on their lineups from the first time we played. We have to be ready for stronger arms coming back on the ball versus them. Providence is playing with nothing to lose. They continue to get behind the service line and then dig balls to put the game back on you."
"These matches, the trenches of October with post season implications on the line, this is why you prepare in the off season and this is where you learn what the backbone of your team is made of. For us, we continue to strive to represent DePaul and be super proud of our efforts to put ourselves in situations to be successful."
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
- UConn enters the weekend with a 7-15 overall record (2-8 BIG EAST), with their conference wins coming over Butler and Providence.
- Doga Kutlu ranks eighth in the conference in assists, averaging 6.84 per set.
- Karly Berkland averages 3.74 digs per set, good for eighth in the league.
- Emma Werkmeister paces the Huskies offense, averaging 3.33 kills per set in BIG EAST matches throughout the season.
- Ellen Herman-Kimball is in her fifth season leading the Huskies.
SCOUTING THE FRIARS
- Providence sits at 8-14 (2-8 BIG EAST), defeating Georgetown and Villanova for their conference victories.
- The Friars lead the conference in service aces, recording 1.73 per set.
- Providence ranks fifth in the BIG EAST in blocks, averaging 2.01 per set.
- Two Friars, Sammie Ruggles and Macy Taylor, rank within the top-10 of service aces. Ruggles averages 0.43 aces per set, good for second, while Taylor records 0.34 per set and ranks 10th.
- Shaliya Rohden leads the Friars offensive, earning 2.93 kills per set while Savannah Ivie handles the defense with 3.09 digs per set.
SERIES STUFF
UConn leads the all-time series, 10-2.
DePaul has the upperhand, leading 13-6 all-time against the Friars.
BLUE DEMON BITS
- DePaul enters the weekend with an overall record of 11-10 (4-6 BIG EAST).
- The team ranks top-four in four categories in the league: first in blocks (2.39 per set), second in digs (16.37 per set), second in assists (12.17 per set), and fourth in kills (12.89 per set).
- Jill Pressly leads the BIG EAST in kills and points per set. The senior averages 4.49 kills per set, good for 12th in the nation, and 4.90 points per set.
- Rachel Krasowski ranks first in the conference in digs per set, earning 5.24 per set, good for 13th in the country.
- Two Blue Demons sit atop the rankings for blocks per set. Katelynn Oxley is first in the conference with 1.15 blocks per set while Meghan Scholz is third with 1.07 blocks per set.
- Maggie Jones and Ashley Cudiamat lead the team in assists, averaging 6.64 and 6.55 per set. Both Jones and Cudiamat are within the top-10 of the league.
UP NEXT
The Blue Demons will host Marquette on Wednesday, Nov. 1. First serve from McGrath-Phillips Arena is set for 7 p.m.
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONSÂ
For all the latest information on DePaul Volleyball, visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.Â
2023 TICKET INFORMATION Â Â
Single-game tickets and Group Ticket Offers are also available and start at $5. Fans can visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets for more information.
