Blue Demons Narrowly Drop Five-Set Battle to Roadrunners

Friday, September 5

Springfield, Mo.

10 a.m.

DePaul University

2-2,0-0Big East

UTSA

1-2,0-0American

UTSA

DePaul

Blue Demons Narrowly Drop Five-Set Battle to Roadrunners

9/5/2025 1:15:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score

Jade Dudley-Epps logs ten kills for second consecutive match

Springfield, Mo. – DePaul volleyball fell to UTSA 3-2 (25-23, 25-22, 19-25, 21-25, 21-23) on Friday afternoon, in its opening match of the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational. The Blue Demons fall to 2-2 on the year, while the Roadrunners improve to 1-2.

Five Blue Demons notched five or more kills, led by freshman Kendall Timme with 17, her best through three matches this season. She was followed by Jade Dudley-Epps, who registered ten kills for the second consecutive match, at a .400 clip.

Katelynn Oxley posted a team-best seven blocks, while fellow middle blocker Meghan Scholz added eight kills and four blocks of her own. Eva Hurrle topped the squad with 23 digs.

The Roadrunners were paced by 23 kills from Gigi Mason and 18 from Ally Tribe.

"Going into the weekend, we knew UTSA was going to push us to think more tactically while keeping the things going well in our game protected," said head coach Marie Zidek.

"We prepared well for them, knowing they were going to honor our middles. But it's one thing to prepare in practice and then another to show maturity as a group in maintaining the quality of game we wanted and needed to play versus a very strong opponent. We were not as sharp today in serve or serve receive and, defensively, did not do what we practiced all week in those situations. The silver lining is that we still gave ourselves the chance to win the match. It is important to use this match as a lesson and turn around really fast with another chance to show maturity this evening."

HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET ONE
Even at six points apiece, two kills from Yagmur Yavuz, one from Timme and two UTSA errors earned DePaul a five-point lead into the first timeout. The Roadrunners then scored seven of the next nine points, knotting the opening frame at 13 points. Ten errors in the second half of the set hindered either side from gaining an advantage until a block from Scholz and Oxley along with another Timme kill narrowly sealed the set for the Blue Demons, 25-23.

SET TWO
DePaul carried its momentum into the second set, jumping out to a 5-1 lead and then exploding for another 7-0 scoring run to lead by eight points. The Roadrunners fought back with a seven-point run of their own, coming as close as three points late, but a Scholz kill earned DePaul the second set, 25-22.

SET THREE
Propelled by six early kills from Tribe, the Roadrunners earned a 12-8 advantage. Dudley-Epps and Yavuz added points of their own to bring the Blue Demons within two, but UTSA charged forward once again, extending their lead to five with two DePaul errors and two kills from Isabella Arroyave. Four more late errors from the Blue Demons capped their comeback and UTSA took the third set, 25-19.

SET FOUR
After a Scholz and Oxley block evened the fourth set at ten points, UTSA went on two scoring runs to take a four-point edge. Three more Blue Demon blocks from Stewart, Saeger and Dudley-Epps put them within striking distance, but the Roadrunners pulled away with a 6-0 scoring run. A kill from Mason secured the set for UTSA, 25-21.

SET FIVE
The deciding set featured 15 ties and nine match points, even at 15 points apiece after a kill from Dudley-Epps. DePaul would fend off five UTSA set points to earn three of its own, but it was the Roadrunners who emerged with the win in extra points, 23-21, after two Brooke Elliott kills and a service ace from Tribe.

UP NEXT
DePaul returns to action later today at 4 p.m. CT on Friday, Sept. 5, for a bout with the Lindenwood Lions. The Blue Demons then conclude their Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 6, against host Missouri State at 3 p.m. CT, with streaming on ESPN+.

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