DePaul Rallies for 3-1 Win Over Portland State

Wednesday, September 2

Chicago, Ill.

7 p.m.

DePaul University

4-0,0-0Big East

Portland State

1-2,0-0Big Sky

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Portland St.	25	9	11	18	1
DePaul	22	25	25	25	3

DePaul Rallies for 3-1 Win Over Portland State

9/2/2026 10:28:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Blue Demons secure comeback victory to open eight match homestand

CHICAGO – DePaul volleyball opened its eight-match homestand with a resounding 3-1 (22-25, 25-9, 25-11, 25-18) comeback win over Portland State on Wednesday night at McGrath-Phillips Arena, marking the Blue Demons' first action in front of the home crowd this season. Trailing for the first time all year, DePaul did not let it faze them, responding with their two largest set margins of the season, holding the Vikings to just nine and 11 points in the second and third sets, respectively.

"Tonight the team learned the importance of mid week preparation," said head coach Marie Zidek. "After a slow first set filled with old habits, the group snapped right into the level of game we know we can play with. As the match went on, we got smarter with our decisions on attack, our defense improved, and our serving grew tougher. A great night of growth for the program."

Wednesday's win also pushed the Blue Demons to 4-0 to open the season, the best start to a Zidek-led team, a testament to the standard she continues to set with the program.

DePaul finished with a season-high 55 kills and out-hit Portland State .285 to .066 for the match. Kendall Timme led all players with 17 kills, notching the first double-double of her season with 11 digs to go along with a .304 hitting percentage. Isabela Tavares-Salomon followed with 13 kills, and Jade Epps was nearly unstoppable at the net, tallying 12 kills on just 19 attempts for a .579 clip. Leonor Polezzi ran the offense to a season-high 40 assists, and four Blue Demons reached double-digit digs: Nora Mannion (23), Polezzi (21), Martina Diana (13), and Timme (11). Diana also paced the defense at the net with six total blocks.

How it Happened
SET ONE | The set was tight throughout, with 14 ties and seven lead changes. DePaul jumped out 5-2 behind a Timme service ace, but Portland State clawed back to tie it at 6-6 and again at 12-12. Timme kept the Blue Demons within reach late, but a run of Portland State substitutions sparked the Vikings off the bench, and Portland State closed the set on a run capped by a service ace, taking the opener 25-22.

SET TWO | DePaul flipped the script immediately. After trading points early, the Blue Demons ripped off a decisive run from 8-4 to 14-4, fueled by four-straight kills from Tavares-Salomon and consecutive blocks from Diana and Epps. Portland State never threatened again, and DePaul cruised behind Timme and Tavares-Salomon down the stretch to take the set, 25-9.

SET THREE | Portland State hung around early, tying the set at 4-4, but DePaul answered with a 6-0 stretch keyed by attack errors forced at the net and a string of Jade Epps kills that pushed the lead to 10-6. A DePaul service run, capped by an ace, extended the margin to 15-7, and the Blue Demons never looked back, closing out the set 25-11 behind kills from Tavares-Salomon and Epps.

SET FOUR | Portland State tried to make a match of it early, taking a 3-2 lead, but DePaul answered behind timely kills from Timme and Jocelyn Paige to reclaim the lead for good. The Vikings trimmed the deficit to four at 19-15, but back-to-back kills from Tavares-Salomon pushed the margin back to seven, and she closed it out moments later off a Portland State attack error, sealing the match 25-18.

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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!

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.