DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
11-3,3-0Big East
Marquette
7-6,2-1Big East
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marquette | 20 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 12 | 2 |
| DePaul | 25 | 13 | 17 | 25 | 15 | 3 |
DePaul Goes Five to Top Marquette for First Time Since 2008
9/30/2026 11:12:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Tavares Salomon ties career high with 20 kills, Polezzi dishes out 49 assists as Blue Demons move to 3-0 in BIG EAST play
CHICAGO – DePaul volleyball erased a 2-1 deficit to topple Marquette 3-2 (25-20, 13-25, 17-25, 25-23, 15-12) at McGrath-Phillips Arena Friday night, earning its first win in the series since Nov. 1, 2008. The Blue Demons improve to 3-0 in BIG EAST play for the first time in program history and move to 11-3 overall.
Firstly, let's acknowledge how long Marquette has had our number and how good they have been, and how good they continue to be at the top of our league, said head coach Marie Zidek. It feels so rewarding to be building a team that can become equal to a program that has been dominant for over a decade now. What an incredible team victory. I am so proud of this team, not just for the result, but for the way they gave everything for one another.
Isabela Tavares Salomon powered the comeback with 20 kills on a .405 clip, matching her career high. It marks her third straight match hitting .321 or better with at least 12 kills. Jade Dudley-Epps added 13 kills at .417, and she is now hitting above .300 on the season. Martina Diana chipped in 10 kills.
Leonor Polezzi ran the offense with a season-high 49 assists, and also led the team with 16 digs and three service aces, her fifth-straight match with three or more. DePaul won the serving battle 7 aces to 4, with Eva Hurrle adding three aces off the bench.
Tonight wasn't a fluke. It was the product of everything we've been building since day one of preseason. Every rep, every ounce of work, every moment when nobody was watching showed up when it mattered. Through thick and thin, this group battled. They leaned on each other, they held the line, and they refused to break. That's what makes this one so sweet: a phenomenal reward for a team that has kept grinding through the crucible. Nobody handed them anything. They earned every bit of it.
I love this team. Let's keep building, said Zidek.
How it Happened
SET ONE | Marquette opened with a 5-1 lead behind consecutive Carson Tyler kills, but DePaul clawed back and took its first lead at 8-7 on Diana and Dudley-Epps kills. The Golden Eagles regained the edge late and led 18-17, prompting a DePaul timeout. The Blue Demons answered with a 7-2 finish, including a 5-0 run out of a 19-19 tie, and Diana sealed it with a kill, 25-20. DePaul hit .389 in the frame.
SET TWO | Marquette controlled the set from the start, building a 9-3 lead that forced a DePaul timeout. The Golden Eagles later ripped off five-straight points to stretch a 9-5 lead to 14-5. DePaul hit .000 with nine attack errors, while Marquette hit .550 and sided out at 84 percent in a 25-13 win.
SET THREE | DePaul trimmed the gap to 10-11 on a Polezzi ace, but Marquette answered with a six-point run, including two aces from libero Emi Juric, to lead 17-10. Tyler piled up seven kills as the Golden Eagles cruised to a 25-17 win and a 2-1 match lead.
SET FOUR | Trailing 14-13, DePaul responded with five-straight points, capped by consecutive Hurrle aces, to go up 18-14. Marquette fought back with three-straight Caydence Doolan kills to get within one, but a Wright and Polezzi block restored a 19-17 lead after a DePaul timeout. Marquette pulled within 24-23 before a Tyler attack error ended the set, 25-23. Tavares Salomon added six kills at .750, and Dudley-Epps posted two solo blocks and two block assists.
SET FIVE | Tied 7-7, Polezzi fired two aces in a 3-0 run that forced Marquette to burn two timeouts. DePaul never trailed again. Tyler kept the Golden Eagles alive with three straight kills to cut a 12-8 deficit to 12-11, but Tavares Salomon answered with a kill and Dudley-Epps added another to make it 14-11. Tavares Salomon recorded the final kill to seal the 15-12 win.
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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!
