MACOMB, ILL. ? Sophomore Emily Madden's (Van Meter, Iowa/Adel DeSoto Minburn) career-best 29-kill, 16-dig effort provided the spark Drake (3-9) needed to snap a seven-match losing streak with a come-from-behind 3-2 (37-35, 20-30, 26-30, 30-13, 21-19) victory at Western Illinois (3-8) on Sunday (Sept. 16).

Madden was one of three Bulldogs to register a double-double in the affair being joined by a 76-assist, 11-dig contribution from sophomore Chelsea Lauersdorf (Watertown, Wis./Watertown) and senior Samantha Nelson's (Ceresco, Neb./Raymond Central) 14-kill, 18-dig effort. The 76 assists from Lauersdorf represented a career-high.

After securing a 37-35 triumph in the opening frame, the Bulldogs saw the Westerwinds roar back to take the second and third stanzas.

With the score tied at eight in the fourth game, Drake rolled off eight unanswered points to assume a 16-8 advantage. The Bulldogs then kicked it up a notch closing the match with scoring runs of 6-0 and 3-1 to force a deciding fifth game.

The Blue and White raced out to a 5-0 lead in the fifth frame on two kills apiece from Madden and freshman Mikayla Sims (Waterloo, Iowa/East). Reversing the momentum with a 9-2 run of its own, Western Illinois took control and served for the match, leading 14-12. One point from suffering the loss, Drake got kills from Madden and freshman Angela Bys (Marion, Iowa/Marion) to square the game at 14.

Exchanging the next 10 points, the Bulldogs surged ahead, 20-19, on a Sims' kill, before Nelson and Bys combined on a block to provide Drake with the dramatic victory.

Madden, Sims and Bys directed the Blue and White in triumph with 29, 22 and 20 kills, respectively. Western Illinois was led by 23 kills from Ashley Baker.

Five Bulldogs recorded double figures in digs, with sophomore Lindsay Schryver (Williams Bay, Wis./Williams Bay) matching a career best with 19 digs. Joining her in double digits was Nelson, Madden, freshman Alana Wittenburg (Readlyn, Iowa/Wapsie Valley) and Lauersdorf with 18, 16, 14 and 11 digs.

Drake concluded the affair recording a .225 hitting percentage, while the Westerwinds attacked the ball at a .202 clip.

The Bulldogs finished with an advantage statistically in kills (90-67), assists (83-63), digs (96-85), while blocks were all square at nine apiece. Western Illinois registered nine service aces to seven by the Blue and White.

Drake continues on the road this weekend as the Bulldogs travel to face Bradley and in-state rival Northern Iowa on Friday (Sept. 21) and Saturday (Sept. 22), respectively. Both matches are slated to commence at 7:00 p.m.