HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS - The Drake volleyball team continued to take care of business on Saturday (Aug. 30) as the Bulldogs improved to 3-0 for the first time since the 2003 campaign with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-17) victory over Sam Houston State in second day action at the Comfort Suites SHSU Invitational.

Junior Emily Madden (Van Meter, Iowa/Adel DeSoto Minburn) turned in a career day posting a career-best .550 attack mark en route to registering her first double-double of the year with a 12-kill, 11-dig performance.

The Bulldogs dominated play at the net finishing the match attacking the ball at a .274 clip, while recording nine team blocks en route to limiting the Bearkats to a .028 hitting percentage.

“We played very well today as we were able to do our damage at the net,” Drake head coach Phil McDaniel commented. “We had nine blocks, including five alone in game two and the key was holding them to a .028 attack mark, including negative numbers in the final two games.”

Sophomore Angela Bys (Marion, Iowa/Marion) nearly posted a double-double notching nine kills and seven digs. Sophomore Alana Wittenburg (Readlyn, Iowa/Wapsie Valley) directed all players with 12 digs, while junior Chelsea Lauersdorf (Watertown, Wis./Watertown) distributed 27 assists. Freshman Michelle Reidy (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert Catholic) sparked the defensive effort with six block assists.

Anna Ferguson led the Bearkats with nine kills and five service aces.

Drake collected positive results in kills (33-29), assists (30-26), digs (43-33) and block assists (16-4), while Sam Houston State garnered a 9-8 advantage in service aces.

The Bulldogs conclude tournament play on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 30) against Green Bay at 4:30 p.m. A victory over the Phoenix provides Drake with the Comfort Suites Sam Houston State Invitational crown, its first tournament title since winning the Eastern Illinois Invitational in 2003.