Blue Demons Sweep the Chippewas to Open DePaul Invitational

Friday, September 11

Chicago, Ill.

6 p.m.

DePaul University

5-2,0-0Big East

Central Michigan

0-8,0-0MAC

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Central Mich.	14	11	13	0
DePaul	25	25	25	3

Blue Demons Sweep the Chippewas to Open DePaul Invitational

9/11/2026 8:24:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

DePaul posts season-best .429 hitting clip as four Blue Demons hit .375 or better

CHICAGO – DePaul volleyball opened the DePaul Invitational in dominant fashion, sweeping Central Michigan 3-0 (25-14, 25-11, 25-13) on Friday evening at McGrath-Phillips Arena. The Blue Demons improved to 5-2 on the season with their most convincing win of the year, hitting .429 as a team, their highest single-match mark of the season and one that topped their previous best by .117.

Four Blue Demons hit .375 or better while recording at least four kills: Isabela Tavares-Salomon led with 10 kills on a .625 clip, Martina Diana added eight kills at .538, Kendall Timme chipped in eight kills at .467, and Caroline Wright hit .375 on four kills in her Blue Demon debut. Leonor Polezzi and Amanda Saeger combined for 20 assists to keep the DePaul offense humming, while Nora Mannion anchored the back row with seven digs.

"Important step for the team tonight," said head coach Marie Zidek. "The goal was to get even distribution from our offense, and that required exceptional focus and dedication to our ball control and serve. This group was able to provide that, and everyone hit for high percentages. An important first step opening the very competitive DePaul Invitational. Thanks, too, to all the students who came out. We could feel your energy, and it made us want to play even harder to make you proud as Blue Demons."

How it Happened
SET ONE | DePaul came out firing, opening on a 4-0 run capped by kills from Timme, Wright and Tavares-Salomon. Central Michigan answered but could never fully close the gap; the Blue Demons pushed the lead to 9-3, weathered a short run from the Chippewas, then pulled away for good behind back-to-back service aces from Jade Epps to make it 17-6. DePaul closed out the set 25-14.

SET TWO | CMU grabbed the first point of the set, but DePaul immediately responded with a 7-1 run fueled by kills from Epps, Diana and Tavares-Salomon to seize control at 7-1. The Blue Demons never trailed again, extending the lead behind three-straight service points from Timme, aces sandwiched around a kill, to make it 19-7 before closing out 25-11.

SET THREE | Central Michigan again scored the set's opening point, and this frame proved the tightest of the match, tying eight times with the last knot at 9-9. DePaul answered with a decisive push down the stretch, riding kills from Diana and Timme to pull ahead for good and finish off its third sweep of the season, 25-13.

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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!