DePaul University
7-4,0-0Big East
UIC
9-4,0-0MVC
DePaul Defeats UIC in Four-Set Match
9/16/2023 9:41:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Pressly and Klemp total 25 kills
CHICAGO - DePaul volleyball took down UIC 3-1 (25-17, 25-21, 13-25, 25-20), Saturday night, in the final non-conference matchup of the season. The Blue Demons have won seven of their last eight matches.Â
DePaul (7-4) was led by Jill Pressly who had 13 kills, her ninth straight match in double-digits. Audrey Klemp poured in 12 kills of her own on a hitting percentage of .450.
The team totaled 11 blocks on the night as Meghan Scholz and Katelynn Oxley earned five each. The Blue Demons also saw five service aces, two of which came from Ashley Cudiamat.
Reigning BIG EAST Freshman of the Week, Scholz tallied five blocks and six kills. Scholz is averaging 1.4 blocks per set this season. Sophomore Maggie Jones had 22 assists on the night.
"Gritty win versus a really talented UIC team," said head coach Marie ZIdek. "We came out with a different game plan than previous years and executed it very well to disrupt their rhythm early. Our serve game held strong and we rebounded well after a tough third set to close out a very successful weekend. Excited to roll into league play with some momentum."
UIC (9-4) was led by Martina Delucchi with 21 kills.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE: The match started off as a back-and-forth affair, with DePaul and UIC tying up at four apiece. The Blue Demons surged ahead on an 11-4 run, gaining the 16-9 advantage. Three assists from Ashley Cudiamat gave DePaul a 10-point lead, the largest of the set. UIC could not overcome the deficit, and a kill from Bailey Nelson put the Blue Demons at set point.
SET TWO: Two consecutive blocks from Oxley, in addition to kills from Nelson and Pressly led to an early 6-0 Blue Demons for a three-point lead. Two successive 3-0 runs by the Flames put them back in the lead, 11-12. Three unanswered points, including Pressly's seventh kill of the night, brought the match under the control of the Blue Demons. Two kills for Scholz put DePaul at set point before Nelson and Oxley combined for a block to win the Demons their second set.
SET THREE: UIC started off the last set scoring five before a kill by Pressly earned DePaul's first point. Despite gritty efforts from the Blue Demons, the Flames gained a nine-point lead, 13-4. DePaul narrowed the gap with four unanswered points ,thanks to blocks and a Krasowski ace. UIC wasn't done and took off with an 8-0 run. Unable to make a comeback, DePaul dropped the set, 25-13.
SET FOUR: A service ace from Scholz and a kill from Krasowski helped put DePaul up, 6-1. The Blue Demons took an eight point lead, before back-and-forth action followed. Three consecutive kills from Klemp brought DePaul on the brink of victory, and two errors from the Flames secured the match win for the Blue Demons.
UP NEXT
The Blue Demons open conference play with a duo of home matches next weekend. DePaul hosts Georgetown on Friday, Sept. 22 with first serve at 7 p.m. The Villanova Wildcats then visit McGrath-Phillips Arena on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m.
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONSÂ
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2023 TICKET INFORMATION Â
Season ticket packages for the 2023 DePaul Volleyball season are available now. Season ticket packages start at just $39 and for a limited time includes an exclusive DePaul flag. Courtside season ticket options are also available for $79. Single-game tickets and Group Ticket Offers are also available and start at $5. Fans can visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets for more information.Â
