DePaul University

CHICAGO - The DePaul volleyball team takes the court this weekend in two Conference USA looking to build on its 11-1 record. On Friday, the Blue Demons host Charlotte at 7:00 p.m. and host South Florida on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. DePaul is 3-0 in Conference USA play.

The Blue Demons disposed of UAB in three games 30-22, 30-24, 30-19 at the Athletic Center last Friday. DePaul dominated the match and emptied the bench in the third game. Freshman setter Amie West delivered 13 assists and two service aces helping the Blue Demons close out the match. Senior Christa Dirr led DePaul with 12 kills and an impressive .667 hitting percentage. Junior Katie Engel added 10 kills and 10 digs and sophomore Lara Marks pounded nine kills and three block assists while hitting .400.

Saturday, the Blue Demons defeated the defending C-USA regular season champion South Florida Bulls in a five-game thriller. Depaul came from behind to defeat the Bulls 21-30, 25-30, 30-26, 30-27, 15-10. Senior setter Kara Jakusz finished the night with six kills and 59 assists. Dirr added 16 kills along with two block solos and two block assists along with a .364 hitting percentage. Engel hit a .333 with nine digs and senior Stephanie Bishop added 23 digs. On the season, Bishop leads the team with 178 kills, senior Melissa Nordine is the team leader in digs with 152 and Marks leads the team with 55 total blocks.

Charlotte enters Friday's contest with a 1-3 conference mark and a 7-6 overall record. The 49ers dropped a pair of matches last weekend to conference foes Southern Mississippi and Tulane. On Friday, Southern Mississippi downed Charlotte in three games 30-27, 30-18, 30-24. Junior Courtney Burg led the 49ers with 10 kills and added five service aces. Charlotte followed that match with a loss at Tulane. The Green Wave swept the 49ers 30-21, 30-25, 30-17. Senior Kathleen Ramos led the team with nine kills adding 11 digs. On the season, Ramos leads Charlotte with 162 kills and 151 digs.

East Carolina enters Saturday's match with a 2-11 conference and 0-4 mark in its inaugural season as a member in Conference USA. The Pirates face Marquette in Milwaukee on Friday. ECU fell to Tulane in three games on Friday 32-30, 30-24, 30-20. Senior Amanda Rudolph led the Pirates pounding 11 kills with 14 digs. On Sunday, Southern Mississippi downed the Pirates 30-11, 30-26, 30-26. Freshman Sarah Vick finished with seven kills and 11 digs. Rudolph leads the team with 119 kills and 159 digs while junior Robyn Drewes has added 106 kills and 58 total blocks.

Coach Dockstader

Head Coach Dawn Dockstader is in her fifth season at DePaul with an overall record of 71-70. She has led the Blue Demons to consecutive 20-win seasons. During the 2000 season the Blue Demons posted a 21-12 overall record and a 10-6 C-USA slate. It marked the first time in a decade that the Blue Demons posted back-to-back 20-win seasons and the first time ever DePaul had consecutive seasons with a double figure victory total in conference.

Last season, DePaul split two matches against Charlotte. The Blue Demons defeated Charlotte in Charlotte in five games, but fell to the 49ers in five games in Chicago. DePaul is 3-5 against the 49ers under Dockstader and trail the overall series 6-4.

This is the first meeting between the Blue Demons and the Pirates. This is also East Carolina's first year in Conference USA.