DePaul University

Match Notes 
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CHICAGO The DePaul volleyball team begins its busy week by traveling to Northern Illinois on Wednesday before hosting the DePaul Invitational this weekend.  The Blue Demons and Huskies tangle at 7 p.m. at Victor E. Court.

The Blue Demons (0-5) are still looking for their first win of the season after coming up empty handed in  first two tournaments of the season.  DePaul’s young squad is piloted by a pair freshmen in outside hitter Charla Drabant and middle blocker Jacie Fielder.  Both have earned all-tournament nods Drabant at the Denver Invitational and Fielder at the Chicagoland Classic. 

Drabant leads the Blue Demons with 52 kills this season and is averaging 3.25 per game.  She has tallied a team-best 14 kills twice and is also one of the team’s best defensive players.  Drabant averages 2.44 digs per game and notched a season-high 17 digs versus Denver last week.  Drabant’s 39 digs this season is just seven shy of senior libero Maureen Zigulich’s team-high 46.  Drabant also leads the squad with three service aces and 57.5 points.

Fiedler’s accuracy is felt in the middle as she leads the team with a .206 attack percentage.  The freshman has finished two matches with an attack percentage over .300 and recorded a season-high .364 (14-2-33) versus Denver last weekend.

None of the current rostered DePaul players have faced Northern Illinois however the team will see a familiar face in senior NIU setter Mandi Caputo.  Caputo transferred to Northern Illinois from DePaul after her redshirt freshman season and dishes out an average of 12.27 assists per game for the Huskies.

Northern Illinois (3-4) enters Wednesday’s match on a two match win streak after finishing second at the Butler Invitational.  The Huskies are led by junior outside hitter Irene Johnson, who is averaging 3.48 kills and 3.76 points per game.

DePaul and Northern Illinois have met 16 previous times with Northern Illinois holding a 13-3 series advantage.  The Huskies won the last meeting 3-1 in 2002 in Chicago while the Blue Demons won the last match in DeKalb, 3-1 in 2001.

The Blue Demons opens the home portion of their schedule September 7-8 when they hosts the DePaul Invitational at McGrath Arena.  The  Blue Demons welcome Kennesaw, Samford and South Alabama for the two-day, six match tournament.  DePaul tangles with Samford at 7:30 on Friday.  

Mile High Drabant

Freshman outside hitter Charla Drabant was named to the Denver Invitational All-Tournament team after leading the Blue Demons with 33 kills and 23 digs during the tournament.  Drabant registered her second 14 kill performance of the season against Denver and also recorded a season-high 17 digs that match. Drabant rounded out her all-tournament performance with three assists, a service aces and three total blocks. 

Fielder Fuels Blue Demons at Chicagoland Classic

The Blue Demons opened the season at the Chicagoland Classic and fell to Illinois-Chicago 3-1 and Loyola-Chicago 3-0.  Freshmen middle blockers Jacie Fielder and Kate Letcher led the Blue Demon offense with 23 and 25 kills, respectively.  Freshman outside hitter Charla Drabant finished the weekend with 19 kills and two service aces to round out the extraordinary play of the young Blue Demon team.  Fielder finished the weekend with a team-high .286 attack percentage with five total blocks and was named to the All-Tournament team.

Irish Tabbed as Preseason Favorites

Notre Dame was tabbed the BIG EAST Conference Volleyball favorite in the annual Preseason Coach’s Poll. St. John’s Hui Ping Huan and Louisville’s Tatyana Kolesnikova, were selected BIG EAST Preseason Co-Players of the Year and headlined the 2007 All-BIG EAST Preseason Team. Notre Dame received eight first-place votes, narrowly beating defending champion Louisville by one point. This is the second consecutive year the Irish have sat atop the preseason poll.