DePaul volleyball’s non-conference schedule concluded with the Chicago Cup the weekend of Sept 19-21. DePaul, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (UWM), UIC and Loyola competed for bragging rights at McGrath-Phillips Arena in the round-robin tournament.

DePaul volleyball head coach Marie Zidek called their previous match against Bowling Green on Sept. 14 the “turning point” for this group in terms of handling expectations as the team improves.

“We’ve had a lot of success the past two out of the three seasons, and we’ve become a team now that teams we want to play,” Zidek said. “And so the difference is, in previous years, we were always the underdog in a lot of these matches that we were in. Now we’re starting to turn the corner.”

DePaul lost both that game and their home opener against Colorado State in four sets and gave up leads late.

“We were up in two of the sets against Colorado State and we were up against Bowling Green, and we let it fizzle,” Zidek said. “We didn’t accelerate to the finish. And so we learned a lot from those two matches, that last match Bowling Green specifically because we feel like we outplayed them, but we lost.”

The points of emphasis coming into the Chicago Cup were not necessarily technical skills, this group has the talent and experience, with five graduate students and two seniors on the roster. It’s more about professionalism and mental composure. 

“On paper, we’re exceptionally talented,” Zidek said. “I think we have ball control, offense, serve and depth. We have a lot of people contributing. It’s about how you act in the moment”

This was the tenth chapter between UWM and DePaul with Zidek at the helm. Each matchup has presented a new, unique lesson for DePaul to figure out and learn.

The team implemented a 6-2 rotation for this tournament with senior setter Ashley Cudiamat and freshman setter Amanda Saeger. The 6-2 rotation keeps three hitters in the front at all times, with the back-row setter organizing the offense. This system allows for constant attacking options without the setter having to block in the front row.

“It’s just easier,” Cudiamat said. “I know I’m not the tallest person, and it’s hard for me to be walking up there sometimes against the bigger hitters. So it’s been good to have Amanda with me and setting – she’s caught up quickly with our system.”

Another point of emphasis in this tournament has been spreading the ball around more, relying on multiple hitters and improving their defense and blocking.

“Being able to spread the net, especially with our serve receive, it’s been really good, because it opens up a bunch of people, and letting multiple people get kills,” Cudiamat said.

A 5-0 run to end set three gave DePaul their first win in the Chicago Cup against the Milwaukee Panthers. sophomore outside hitter Yagmur Yavez sustained a shoulder injury late in set three in the match so junior right-side hitter Grace Brooker got the nod 30 minutes before game two started. Brooker has only played in 9 of the 34 sets this year. It was business as usual for Brooker: contribute where you can, when you can.

“I’m always ready,” Brooker said. “The most important thing to do when you’re on the bench is to stay ready. And that’s what I kept in mind and kept in a positive mindset.”

A positive mindset and always-ready attitude paid large dividends at the UIC game on Sept. 20. Brooker tied her career-high in kills with nine, four coming in a first-set victory.

UIC turned up the heat in sets two and three, pushing DePaul to the brink of dropping their first set in the Chicago Cup.

“We knew how this match towards the end of sets was going to pan out because both teams were going at each other, and it was high-level volleyball against high-level volleyball,” Zidek said. “So we knew it was going to come down to those little plays, the tight plays at the net.”

DePaul won all the little plays down the stretch and the crowd inside McGrath-Phillips Arena let them know. “We Will Rock You” chants during rallies filled the arena with a buzz that fed off onto the players.

“The Chicago Cup always brings that local energy that you need to push through, especially with our new arena, the sound bounces off the walls,” DePaul graduate Libero Rachel Krasowski said. “It just surrounds you, like when our crowds are clapping, they’re getting into it, it really does fuel us.”

DePaul’s final test came against their long-time rival Loyola University. The battle to stay undefeated lasted four sets where Loyola, behind senior setter Bree Borum, won 3-1. Borum recorded her first triple-double of the season with 10 kills, 44 assists and 16 digs.

“First off, hats off to Loyola,” Zidek said. “(Borum) is really special right now. She’s playing the best I’ve ever seen her play in her entire career. And she came in and she put five of her hitters in double-digit kills. I mean, you’re doing that, you’re winning a lot of matches.”

DePaul rebounded, winning the second set 25-21, but a balanced offensive attack from Loyola was too much to handle for DePaul’s blockers and back-row passers. Loyola ended the Chicago Cup winning set four convincingly, 25-13.

DePaul begins Big East conference play against Xavier at 8-4, their best start in three years.

“Loyola had five hitters and double-digit kills,” Zidek said. “That is something that we are striving to do. So there’s more work to be done on Monday. We have an 18-match Big East Conference season ahead of us, and so everything now needs to sharpen.”

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