DePaul Nets Four-Set Win Over Wildcats

Friday, October 9

Chicago, Ill.

7 p.m.

DePaul University

12-4,4-1Big East

Villanova

9-7,2-3Big East

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Villanova	17	25	24	14	1
DePaul	25	23	26	25	3

10/9/2026 10:04:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Timme leads way with 18 kills, DePaul out-blocks Villanova 10-4

CHICAGO – DePaul volleyball rallied from a 21-17 deficit in the third set and rolled through a dominant fourth to top Villanova 3-1 (25-17, 23-25, 26-24, 25-14) at McGrath-Phillips Arena Friday night, out-blocking the Wildcats 10-4 behind 18 kills from Kendall Timme. The Blue Demons improve to 4-1 in BIG EAST play and 12-4 overall, while the Wildcats fall to 2-3 in conference play and 9-7 overall.

"Gritty win against a competitive Villanova team," said head coach Marie Zidek. "We dug deep, stuck to our systems, and a couple of game-changing points off the bench let us finish strong. With everyone racing for the top-four, every night is razor thin, and we're ready for the guts of October. Also, shout out to Blue Crew. Their support won us points tonight."

Timme powered the offense with 18 kills, adding a pair of solo blocks and two block assists. Dudley-Epps was just as efficient, hitting .444 on nine kills while chipping in two aces and two solo blocks, and Isabela Tavares Salomon contributed 10 kills. As a team, DePaul hit .228 to Villanova's .075, with the Wildcats committing 33 attack errors.

Three Blue Demons reached double-digit digs, led by a career-high 16 from Martina Diana, who also tallied seven kills. Libero Abby Cahill collected 12 digs, and Leonor Polezzi added 10 to go with 37 assists. It marked the setter's seventh double-double of the season.

How it Happened
SET ONE | DePaul led wire-to-wire, jumping out to a 3-0 start and building a 17-10 lead behind a 4-0 run that forced a Villanova timeout. The Wildcats answered with four-straight points to get within 18-14, but the Blue Demons closed the set on a 7-3 run, with Eva Hurrle serving an ace at 24-15, to win 25-17. DePaul hit .259 in the frame, with Timme, Diana and Dudley-Epps each recording three kills.

SET TWO | Villanova took control midway through the set, ripping off eight-straight points to turn a 10-12 score into a 20-10 lead, and led 23-14 late. DePaul answered with its best run of the season, scoring nine of the next 10 points behind two Dudley-Epps blocks and a string of Timme kills to cut the deficit to 24-23. A service error ended the set, 25-23, to give Villanova its lone win.

SET THREE | Down 21-17, DePaul scored four-straight to tie the set at 21, but Villanova went back in front 23-21. The Blue Demons rallied with a 3-0 run to reach set point at 24-23, but a service error leveled the score at 24-24. A Timme kill put DePaul back in front, and Polezzi closed the set with a service ace, 26-24.

SET FOUR | After an early 2-2 tie, DePaul took the lead for good at 3-2 and cruised to a 15-8 advantage. The Blue Demons led by as many as 11 points, hitting .320 and siding out at 80 percent, with Timme adding five kills at .375 and Tavares Salomon three at .600. Villanova committed errors on the final three points as DePaul closed it out, 25-14.

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TICKET INFORMATION
Season ticket memberships are now live for the 2026 DePaul Volleyball season! Season ticket memberships include access to all 15 anticipated regular season matches at McGrath-Phillips Arena in Lincoln Park, plus an opportunity to purchase tickets for the Wintrust Arena match against Nebraska. Season tickets are available beginning at $79 for general admission and $129 for courtside seating! Want to bring your team to the match? Group ticket deposits are also available for parties of 10 or more. Visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets to reserve your seats today!