Thursday, December 5
Chicago, Ill.
7 p.m.
DePaul University
20-13,10-8Big East
3
vs
0
Toledo
17-15,10-8MAC
1
2
3
F
Toledo
20
26
16
0
DePaul
25
28
25
3
Blue Demons Defeat Rockets, Advance to NIVC Super 16
12/5/2024 9:57:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Program earns 20 wins for the first time since 2001
CHICAGO – DePaul volleyball defeated Toledo 3-0 (25-20, 26-28, 25-16) Thursday evening, earning an NIVC-opening victory, and their tenth win in straight sets of 2024. The win also marks 20 on the year, the first time the program has achieved that mark since 2001. The Rockets conclude their season with a 17-15 overall record.
Offensively, outside hitter Jill Pressly exploded for the Blue Demon offense, adding her eighth match of the season with 20 or more kills, posting 21. The Plano, Texas native also matched her season-high with four service aces, and surpassed 2,000 career kills on the evening.
Setter Amanda Saeger dished out a career-high 38 assists, along with 11 digs, for her 13th career double-double.
Libero Rachel Krasowski anchored the Blue Demons on defense with 19 digs, placing her just five digs away from breaking her own single-season record of 582 digs, which she set in 2022. Freshman Abby Cahill registered her fifth match in double-figure digs, contributing ten.
"What a tremendous show of fight from this squad," said head coach Marie Zidek.
"Down some players, they rallied around each other and figured out a brand-new lineup as the match continued on. We talked at length this week about how we began the year discussing the importance of being able to absorb whatever comes our way, and we did just that tonight, earning 20 wins for the first time since 2001. Playoff volleyball, it doesn't get any better."
Toledo was paced by 12 kills from outside hitter Taylor Alt.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE
The teams traded points early with neither side pulling ahead, until a 5-0 scoring run from DePaul, propelled by three kills from Pressly, earned them the 24-18 lead late. One more kill from Pressly earned the Blue Demons the set, 25-20.
SET TWO
The second set was close early, but a Toledo error and two kills from Aly Kindelberger earned DePaul a 10-7 advantage. Toledo fought back to even the stanza at 13, but consecutive kills from setter Amanda Saeger and a Pressly service ace put the Blue Demons back ahead, 16-13. Knotted as late as 26 points, a service error from the Rockets and kill from middle blocker Katelynn Oxley closed the set, 28-26 in favor of DePaul.
SET THREE
A 4-0 scoring run to open the set gave DePaul a lead they did not relinquish, as five Toledo attack errors and two more Pressly service aces extended the Blue Demon lead to eight points. Two kills from freshman Luisa Juncu and one from Kindelberger won DePaul the final set, 25-16.
UP NEXT
DePaul will face Omaha in the NIVC Super 16 on Friday, December 6. First serve is set for 7pm from McGrath-Phillips Arena, with streaming available through the DePaul Athletics YouTube.
Omaha has posted a 17-12 mark thus far in 2024, including a 14-2 tally in conference play. The Mavericks won five straight matches before falling to South Dakota in straight sets during the Summit League Championship. Omaha then defeated Lindenwood in a five-set thriller (25-14, 19-25, 21-25, 25-20, 15-13), to earn their way into the NIVC Super 16 against DePaul.
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Volleyball, visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on X, Instagram and Facebook.
TICKET INFORMATION
Join DePaul Volleyball at McGrath-Phillips Arena to celebrate 50 seasons of Blue Demon volleyball! Fans can visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets for more information, including single-game tickets and group opportunities.
Offensively, outside hitter Jill Pressly exploded for the Blue Demon offense, adding her eighth match of the season with 20 or more kills, posting 21. The Plano, Texas native also matched her season-high with four service aces, and surpassed 2,000 career kills on the evening.
Setter Amanda Saeger dished out a career-high 38 assists, along with 11 digs, for her 13th career double-double.
Libero Rachel Krasowski anchored the Blue Demons on defense with 19 digs, placing her just five digs away from breaking her own single-season record of 582 digs, which she set in 2022. Freshman Abby Cahill registered her fifth match in double-figure digs, contributing ten.
"What a tremendous show of fight from this squad," said head coach Marie Zidek.
"Down some players, they rallied around each other and figured out a brand-new lineup as the match continued on. We talked at length this week about how we began the year discussing the importance of being able to absorb whatever comes our way, and we did just that tonight, earning 20 wins for the first time since 2001. Playoff volleyball, it doesn't get any better."
Toledo was paced by 12 kills from outside hitter Taylor Alt.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE
The teams traded points early with neither side pulling ahead, until a 5-0 scoring run from DePaul, propelled by three kills from Pressly, earned them the 24-18 lead late. One more kill from Pressly earned the Blue Demons the set, 25-20.
SET TWO
The second set was close early, but a Toledo error and two kills from Aly Kindelberger earned DePaul a 10-7 advantage. Toledo fought back to even the stanza at 13, but consecutive kills from setter Amanda Saeger and a Pressly service ace put the Blue Demons back ahead, 16-13. Knotted as late as 26 points, a service error from the Rockets and kill from middle blocker Katelynn Oxley closed the set, 28-26 in favor of DePaul.
SET THREE
A 4-0 scoring run to open the set gave DePaul a lead they did not relinquish, as five Toledo attack errors and two more Pressly service aces extended the Blue Demon lead to eight points. Two kills from freshman Luisa Juncu and one from Kindelberger won DePaul the final set, 25-16.
UP NEXT
DePaul will face Omaha in the NIVC Super 16 on Friday, December 6. First serve is set for 7pm from McGrath-Phillips Arena, with streaming available through the DePaul Athletics YouTube.
Omaha has posted a 17-12 mark thus far in 2024, including a 14-2 tally in conference play. The Mavericks won five straight matches before falling to South Dakota in straight sets during the Summit League Championship. Omaha then defeated Lindenwood in a five-set thriller (25-14, 19-25, 21-25, 25-20, 15-13), to earn their way into the NIVC Super 16 against DePaul.
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Volleyball, visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on X, Instagram and Facebook.
TICKET INFORMATION
Join DePaul Volleyball at McGrath-Phillips Arena to celebrate 50 seasons of Blue Demon volleyball! Fans can visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets for more information, including single-game tickets and group opportunities.
Team Stats
UT
DePaul
Kills
37
50
Errors
18
16
Attempts
118
114
Hitting %
.161
.298
Points
47.0
58.0
Assists
36
47
Aces
3
4
Blocks
7
4
Game Leaders
Kills-Aces-Blocks
Kills
21
Aces
4
Blocks
2
Kills
9
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
1
Kills
6
Aces
0
Blocks
3
Players Mentioned
L/DS
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/ WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALLEpisode 24: Marie Zidek, Women's Volleyball
Tuesday, September 02
Bowling Green vs. DePaul - NIVC Great 8
Saturday, December 07
Omaha vs. DePaul - NIVC Second Round
Friday, December 06
Volleyball vs. Omaha - NIVC Super 16
Friday, December 06