The DePaul volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-19) match to Iowa, Saturday at the Hawkeye/Holiday Inn Challenge at the Hawkeye Carver Arena. The Blue Demons close out the tournament with a 4:30 p.m. match with Portland.
IOWA CITY -- The DePaul volleyball team dropped a 3-0 (25-13, 25-20, 25-19) match to Iowa, Saturday at the Hawkeye/Holiday Inn Challenge at the Hawkeye Carver Arena. The Blue Demons have lost their last five matches and fall to 1-9, while Iowa improves to 7-4.
Iowa controlled the match with 43 kills and a .387 attack percentage. Catherine Smale led all players with 15 kills and was one of four Hawkeyes to register an attack percentage above .400. Aimee Huffman paced the floor with .538 (8-1-13) attack percentage while Smale recorded a .414 hitting percentage.
The Hawkeye's proficient hitting limited the Blue Demons offensive opportunities as DePaul recorded just 31 kills. Sarah Cullen paced DePaul for the fourth consecutive match, tallying 14 kills and chipped in nine digs. Blue Demon setter Christy Landschoot dished out 26 assists and matched Cullen's nine digs.
Unable to find an offensive rhythm in the first set, DePaul tallied seven kills, but attack errors plagued the offense as the Blue Demons hit .000 in the stanza. On the other hand, Iowa was hot and registered 11 kills on 22 attempts for a match-high .500 hitting percentage. Controlling the tempo of the set, the Hawkeyes held the Blue Demons to their lowest point total of the season and won the frame 25-13.
The Blue Demon offense got better as the match went on, hitting .162 in the second frame and tallied a match-high .312 in the third set.
Down two sets, Cullen put the Blue Demons on her back and tallied six of the squad's 13 kills in the third set. Not to be outdone, Jacie Fiedler registered three thunderous kills for a perfect attack percentage.
Trailing 18-13 in the final set, DePaul had its most reliable server on the line in Kate Letcher. Letcher got the job done as she served for four straight points and pulled the Blue Demons within three with a service ace. Cullen followed with a kill to cut the Hawkeye lead to a pair, but Iowa closed out the set on a 7-3 run to win the set and match.
The Blue Demons return to the court and close out the tournament with a 4:30 p.m. match with Portland.
Notes: Jacie Fiedler has registered double-digit kill totals in nine of the Blue Demon's 10 matches... Fiedler has finished 24 career matches in double-digit kill totals... Sarah Cullen has seven double-doubles (kills-digs) this season... the Blue Demons have dropped their last five matches... although 1-9, the team has only lost two matches 3-0, while they have played five, four set and three, five set matches... DePaul lone win is a 3-2 win over James Madison on Sept. 6... Iowa now leads the overall series 4-0.
