(MARQUETTE COMMUNICATIONS) MILWAUKEE – The Marquette University volleyball team (15-7, 10-2 BIG EAST) took down DePaul (16-7, 8-4 BIG EAST) in straight sets Sunday afternoon at the Al McGuire Center.
Carson Tyler led all players with 17 kills while hitting .438 and added nine digs and three blocks. Emma Parks provided eight kills without an error on 19 swings for a .421 hitting percentage off the bench, while Molly Welge contributed seven kills, four blocks, two aces and two assists. Luanna Markus turned in one of her most efficient matches of the season, recording 32 assists and six kills while hitting .500, and added three blocks. Tani Juric chipped in six kills on .333 hitting, while Julia Stanev added five kills on a .400 clip and matched Welge for the team lead with four blocks. Defensively, libero Emi Juric anchored the back row with a match-high 16 digs as the Golden Eagles held DePaul to a .133 hitting percentage while recording advantages in kills (49-30), hitting percentage (.406-.133), assists (41-29), blocks (9-4) and aces (5-4).
The Golden Eagles raced to a 5-0 lead behind three early kills from Tani Juric and a Carson Tyler service ace, forcing a Blue Demon timeout. Marquette maintained control throughout the frame, leaning on a balanced attack from Tyler, Juric and Emma Parks while Luanna Markus directed the offense. After DePaul trimmed the deficit to 14-11 midway through the set, the Golden Eagles answered with a 9-4 run highlighted by consecutive Parks kills, an Allie Beers service ace and a block from Tyler and Molly Welge. Marquette closed the set by scoring seven of the final eight points, with Tyler delivering three late kills and the set-clinching point in the 25-16 win.
After DePaul grabbed a 4-1 lead, the Golden Eagles responded with an 8-0 run behind the service of Allie Beers, who contributed an ace as Marquette turned a three-point deficit into a 9-4 advantage. Luanna Markus sparked the surge with two kills, while Molly Welge, Emma Parks and the Marquette block also contributed points during the run. DePaul trimmed the margin to 13-10 midway through the set, but the Golden Eagles answered five of the next six points to rebuild a comfortable lead. Tyler, Tani Juric and Welge each delivered key kills down the stretch, while a Welge service ace set up match point. Markus then capped the set with her fourth kill of the frame, securing the 25-18 victory and a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Blue Demons scored six straight points to build their six-point advantage, forcing an early Golden Eagle timeout. Marquette responded with six of the next nine points, highlighted by kills from Emma Parks, Carson Tyler and Molly Welge, to close within 13-10. DePaul maintained an 18-12 lead late in the set before the Golden Eagles mounted their decisive push. Marquette scored 13 of the final 16 points, taking advantage of several Blue Demon attacking errors while getting key kills from Tyler, Parks, Luanna Markus and Julia Stanev. Tyler tied the set at 19-19 and later gave Marquette its first lead since the opening point at 20-19. From there, the Golden Eagles closed on a 6-2 run, capped by a Tyler kill from Markus to secure the 25-21 win and complete the straight-set victory.
NOTES
- Marquette improved to 48-30 all-time against DePaul
- With the win, MU holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Blue Demons in the BIG EAST standings. While the two teams are 1-1, MU holds the sets won tiebreaker, winning five sets to DePaul’s three.
- MU was one percentage point off their season-high in hitting percentage, hitting .406 in the match for the most efficient match since a .407 percentage in a sweep over Georgetown on Oct. 9.
- The Golden Eagles had six players hit above .300 in the match and committed just eight attack errors in the sweep.
- Carson Tyler led the Golden Eagles with 17 kills on .438 hitting, her highest hitting efficiency with 15+ kills this season.
- Emi Juric finished with 16 digs, and has dug 15+ attacks from the opposing team in six of the past seven matches.
- Molly Welge has recorded 4+ blocks in each of Marquette’s past four contests.
UP NEXT
Marquette will take on their final regular-season road trip this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6-7. MU takes on Villanova on Friday, Nov. 6 at 4 p.m. CT and Georgetown on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. CT.
