DePaul University

WASHINGTON D.C. The DePaul volleyball team opened BIG EAST Conference play with a 3-0 (25-18, 26-24, 25-17) loss to Georgetown, Friday at McDonough Arena.  The Blue Demons have lost their last eight matches and fall to 1-12 and are 0-1 in conference play, while the Hoyas improve to 8-6 and are 1-0 in league action.

Georgetown used its strong offense to power past the Blue Demons.  The Hoyas hit .349 in the match and stymied DePaul's offense with 33 digs and eight blocks.  Sara Manley paced the floor with 13 kills and Jessica Hardy followed with 12 kills for the Hoyas. With their offense getting it done, Katherine Niesen tallied four blocks (2-2) while Caitlan Boland paced the floor with 11 digs and dished out 35 assists.

The Blue Demons struggled offensively as they mustered just 34 kills for a .141 attack percentage.  Sarah Cullen led DePaul with 10 kills, while Kate Letcher registered a .429 attack percentage on eight kills.  Christy Landschoot tallied 31 assists.

DePaul had its best offensive effort in the first set, but so did the Hoyas, who hit a match-high .471 compared to the Blue Demons .231.  Georgetown won the first point and did not look back as the squad won the set 25-18.

Following the seven-point set one loss, the Blue Demons recomposed themselves and came at the Hoyas. The second frame was tied 10 times and there were four lead changes before Georgetown took a 26-24 victory. 

Letcher gave DePaul its first lead of the match with a kill at the 18-17 mark in the second set.  The Blue Demons would go up by as many as three, but the Hoyas fought back and tied the stanza at 22.  The set was knotted two more times before Georgetown won the frame on a service ace.

Building on their momentum in the third set and capitalizing on poor hitting by the Blue Demons, the Hoyas won the final frame 25-17. DePaul hit -.034 in the final set and registered just eight kills.  Conversely, Georgetown recorded a .375 hitting percentage and 13 kills.

DePaul’s defense was led by Caitlin Callaghan, who tallied seven digs.  Landschoot tallied a pair of block assists to lead the Blue Demons defense at the net.

DePaul returns to the court on Sunday in Tampa.  The Blue Demons take on USF in BIG EAST action at noon at the Coral.  USF leads the all-time series with DePaul 11-5.

Notes: Jacie Fiedler has registered double-digit kill totals in 10 of the Blue Demons' 13 matches... Fiedler has finished 25 career matches in double-digit kill totals... Sarah Cullen has nine double-doubles (kills-digs) this season... the Blue Demons have dropped their last eight matches and last three (dating back to 2007) BIG EAST conference matches... although 1-12, the team has only lost three matches 3-0, while they have played seven, four set and three, five set matches... DePaul lone win is a 3-2 victory over James Madison on Sept. 6... Georgetown leads the overall series 3-1.