DePaul University

RALEIGH, N.C. - In an evenly matched battle, the DePaul volleyball team squared off with George Mason in its final match of the NC State Raleigh Crabtree Valley Marriott Classic on Saturday afternoon.  Despite 59 kills and nine service aces, the Blue Demons fell in five games to the Patriots and finished the weekend 2-2.

Sarah Cullen snatched another double-double, tallying 22 kills and 11 digs.  Sammy Geiger paced DePaul (5-5, 0-0 BIG EAST Conference) with 13 digs and 43 assists, while Chandler Carney led the team with three block assists.

Cullen reached a two-day kill total of 49, in addition to her team-best 49 digs.  With an attack percentage of .393 (33-9-61), Geiger had her strongest offensive showing to date.

George Mason saw three student-athletes reach double-digit kill totals, as Holly Goode and Noelle Fanella each had 13 put aways.  Laura Turner added 10.

The Blue Demons got off to a swift start, jumping to a 3-0 lead behind back-to-back kills from Kate Letcher.  The Patriots quickly knotted the score, relying on the swings of Goode, Fanella, and Kelsey Bohman who collectively terminated the ball 12 times.  After an attack error gave George Mason the 17-16 advantage, they went on a 8-3 run to take a first stanza win.

In the second frame, the Blue Demons capitalized on six Cullen put downs to tie the score back at one-all.  Strong service from Chelsea Thurlby put DePaul up 4-0, but the Patriots would continue to fire back, tying the match 10 times.  The Blue Demons took their final lead after an attack error and Thurlby service ace would put DePaul up 22-20.  Two kills from Lauren Blasi and George Mason attack error would wrap up the second set, 25-23.

The third game was equally deadlocked, as the score read equal on 12 occasions.  DePaul eventually came out and top, using on point attacking to finish the game with a .407 (15-4-31) clip.  Cullen paced the floor once again with six kills.  The Blue Demons broke the tie and earned their largest lead of the frame with a put away from Blasi and two service aces courtesy of Cullen.  Carney terminated the final point off an assist from Christy Landschoot, and gave DePaul the 2-1 lead.

In the fourth frame, the score continued to see-saw, as neither team led by more than three points.  Reliable service from Letcher and another put away from the swing of Cullen set up match point for the Blue Demons, but untimely attack errors allowed the Patriots to tie and eventually force the fifth set.

While DePaul recorded a respectable .235 (8-4-17) attack percentage in the deciding frame, they could not overcome George Mason's near flawless performance.  Despite only tallying six kills, the Patriots did not commit a single attack error and only registered one of any kind (a service error).  The Blue Demons bowed out with a final score of 15-10. 

Following the last match of the tournament, Letcher was named to the all-tourament team, making it the third time she has received the honor.

DePaul completes its tournament portion of the season at home nest weekend, Sept. 18-19, for the DePaul Invitational held in McGrath Arena.