FORT WAYNE – The University of Denver women's volleyball team swept Purdue Fort Wayne on Sunday afternoon to finish the 2018 regular season undefeated in Summit League matches (15-0). The Pioneers handed the Mastodons their 13th loss of the year by scores of 25-20, 25-18 and 25-20.
The Crimson and Gold finished their regular season schedule with a 26-1 mark, only dropping a match on Aug. 25 against No. 19 Utah. Denver will enter the Summit League Tournament as the No. 1 seed, having already clinched the regular season title for the fifth-consecutive year.
"It's really difficult to go undefeated in a conference that's as good as ours," said head coach Tom Hogan. "I'm really proud of our team and what we have accomplished, but all of our attention and focus is on our conference tournament next weekend in Denver."
Pioneer Performers:
Junior
Katarina Marinkovic led the team with 16 kills against the Mastodons, tallying a .367 hitting percentage in 30 total attempts. The outside hitter remains at No. 2 on the Denver leaderboard for season kills, upping her total to 281.
Becca Latham also posted double-digit kills, notching 12 this match.
Ellie Anderson continues to lend a helping hand on offense, accumulating 21 assists and two kills against Purdue Fort Wayne.
Junior
Andrea Eddy earned three service aces on Sunday, bringing her season total to 36. Entering the match Eddy checked in at No. 2 in the Summit League standings with 0.35 aces per set, following teammate
Lydia Bartalo who averaged 0.59 aces per set.
Sweeping Away the Competition:
Despite Purdue Fort Wayne earning the first point of all three sets, the Pioneers made quick work in earning their 15th sweep of the year. Of DU's 15 sweeps, nine came from Summit League contests.
Let's Talk Numbers:
Denver totaled 46 kills in 112 attempts, 44 assists, six aces, 6.5 blocks and a .268 hitting percentage against Purdue Fort Wayne. The Pioneers held the Mastodons to 30 kills in 99 attempts, 29 assists, two aces, three blocks and a .111 hitting percentage.
What's Next for DU:
With the conclusion of the 2018 regular season, the Pioneers enter the Summit League Tournament as the No. 1 seed. Denver's first match of the post-season will be at home in Hamilton Gymnasium on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. MT, opponent TBA.
TICKETS:
Tickets for the 2018 Summit League Tournament are on sale and can be purchased
here.
PIONEER MOVEMENT:
Fans interested in making a donation to the volleyball program can do so by
clicking here. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.
