Blue Demons Defeat Ramblers in Red Line Rivalry

Sunday, September 21

Chicago, Ill.

1 p.m.

DePaul University

7-4,0-0Big East

Loyola Chicago

3-9,0-0Atlantic 10

DePaul

Loyola Chicago

Morgan Stewart celebrates with her teammates after a big point

Blue Demons Defeat Ramblers in Red Line Rivalry

9/21/2025 5:02:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score

Head coach Marie Zidek earns 100th career win

CHICAGO – DePaul volleyball defeated Loyola Chicago 3-2 (28-26, 21-25, 23-25, 29-27, 15-11) Sunday afternoon to conclude its Chicago Cup, improving to 7-4 on the season. The win marks head coach Marie Zidek's 100^th win at the helm of the program. Her 101^st win will make her the third-winningest coach in program history.

The Blue Demons were paced offensively by Kendall Timme, who logged a career-high 23 kills at a .422 clip. Timme was followed by fellow freshman Morgan Stewart, who registered 16 kills, and Katelynn Oxley, who notched 14 kills of her own. Oxley's .480 hitting percentage marks her sixth match hitting .350 or better and she also added a team-best six blocks.

Eva Hurrle led the DePaul defense, recording 31 digs, her second match this season with 30 or more. The Greenwood, Indiana, native also tallied five service aces, the most by any Blue Demon in a match this season. Sophomore Amanda Saeger organized the DePaul side, tallying 49 assists in the win.

"Incredible way to close out our non-conference slate against a tough Loyola Chicago squad," said head coach Marie Zidek.

"We knew we would have to earn the hard points and that is an area we have been working to improve. This group put in the work – training hard yesterday and competing through a demanding stretch, with three matches and two trainings in five days.

The scheduling was intentional to sharpen our competitiveness and give us a taste of the grind we'll face in BIG EAST play. I couldn't be prouder of this team. They earned this one the hard way."

HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE
DePaul jumped out to a five-point lead, behind two kills from both Oxley and Stewart. Loyola quickly knotted the set at 11 points, taking a two-point lead of its own after a pair of Blue Demon errors. DePaul responded by earning six of the next seven points, but Loyola proceeded to do the same, led by three kills from Ann Marie Remmes. A clutch pair of kills from Meghan Scholz and a block from Oxley evened the frame again at 23 points. The sides traded points until another Oxley kill and an ace from Hurrle earned DePaul the set, 28-26.

SET TWO
The Blue Demons nabbed an early edge, which they kept until Loyola evened the set at 13 points. From there, the rivals traded kills, even as late as 20 points, but the Ramblers took five of the last six points to win the set, 25-21.

SET THREE
Two blocks and a kill from Stewart, along with a Hurrle service ace, earned the Blue Demons a 5-1 lead. The Ramblers tied the frame at five, with the teams then going back and forth until Loyola took a narrow lead behind a pair of Kate Maley kills. DePaul never allowed the Ramblers to get far in front, adding five more kills and two aces, but a Kaitlyn Burke kill won the set for the Ramblers, 25-23.

SET FOUR
It was the Ramblers who took the early lead in set four, ahead by four points after two kills each from Maley and Remmes. A 4-0 run from the Blue Demons knotted the frame at ten, and DePaul finally pulled ahead, 18-15, after two Rambler errors and a kill from Jade Dudley-Epps. Loyola did not go away quietly, tying the set at 19, and the sides swapped kills until another kill from Burke gave the Ramblers their first match point. The Blue Demons fought off four Loyola match points, assisted by two strong kills from Timme, and won the set, 29-27, behind two late kills from Oxley.

SET FIVE
DePaul started the deciding set stronger than any other, posting a 5-0 run to begin the final frame, led by service from Stewart that the Ramblers struggled to return. Despite a 4-0 run from Loyola the Blue Demons did not let go of their lead, with kills from Grace Brooker and Timme sealing the final set win for DePaul, 15-11.

UP NEXT
The Blue Demons return to McGrath-Phillips Arena on Friday, Sept. 26, to open BIG EAST play against UConn. First serve is set for 7 p.m. CT, with fans receiving DePaul t-shirts and cans of Starry, while supplies last. Tickets are available here and the match will also stream on ESPN+.

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TICKET INFORMATION
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