DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
1-0,0-0Big East
Milwaukee
0-1,0-0Horizon
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 18 | 16 | 19 | 0 |
| DePaul | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
Blue Demons Sweep Milwaukee to Open Regular Season
8/28/2026 5:13:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
DePaul makes quick work of Milwaukee to begin Drake Invitational
DES MOINES, Iowa – DePaul volleyball opened its 2026 regular season with a statement 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-19) sweep over Milwaukee on Friday afternoon at the Drake Invitational. The Blue Demons grabbed their first season-opening sweep since 2013 and their third-straight victory over the Panthers in as many years.
Isabela Tavares-Salomon paced DePaul with 13 kills across the three sets (.500 HIT%), while Martina Diana added 10. Nora Mannion and Leonor Polezzi anchored the back row with 14 and 11 digs, respectively. Freshman Catalina Alvizuri earned her first career start, and fellow newcomer Polezzi rounded out the effort with 30 assists.
Tremendous team effort to start the year, said head coach Marie Zidek. We were more composed and intentional in attack, and we did a great job protecting our serve from the end line. Maintaining a stronger rhythm throughout the match created more opportunities for us to disrupt their offense and put points together. It was a great way to open the season against a savvy Milwaukee roster.
How it Happened
SET ONE
DePaul and Milwaukee traded points early before the Blue Demons pulled ahead 15-10, fueled by kills from Diana. Milwaukee answered with a 4-0 run to cut the lead to one, 15-14, and the teams battled back and forth until the Panthers briefly grabbed an 18-17 edge. From there, DePaul closed the set on an 8-0 run, capped by a kill from Diana off an assist from Polezzi, to take the opener, 25-18.
SET TWO
DePaul never trailed and never let Milwaukee tie the score in the second. Tavares-Salomon opened with back-to-back kills, and a Mannion ace pushed the lead to 5-2. Tavares-Salomon's seventh kill made it 14-10 and the Blue Demons pulled away from there. A 4-0 run stretched the lead to 20-12, with service aces from Diana and Polezzi keeping Milwaukee at bay. DePaul went up 10 at 24-14 before closing out the set, 25-16.
SET THREE
Milwaukee scored four-unanswered to open the set, but DePaul clawed back, and a Dudley-Epps kill leveled it at 8-8. The Blue Demons built a 14-11 edge before Milwaukee answered with a run of its own to go up 15-14. Kendall Timme's serving gave DePaul the lead right back at 16-15, and the set stayed just as tight as the first, with 10 ties and five lead changes before the Blue Demons pulled away late to close it out, 25-19, and complete the sweep.
UP NEXT
Sat., Aug. 29 | @ Drake | 12 p.m. CT | ESPN+ | Live Stats
Sun., Aug. 30 | vs. South Dakota | 11 a.m. CT | Live Stats
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
Stay up to date with all things DePaul Volleyball at DePaulBlueDemons.com. For real-time updates, follow the Blue Demons on X, Instagram, and Facebook, or sign up for email updates and text alerts.
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!
Tickets for DePaul's Sept. 4 matchup against Nebraska at Wintrust Arena are also on sale now. Courtside seating, premium options and group packages are available. Fans can purchase tickets through the DePaul Ticket Office or visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Tickets for more information.
