CEDAR FALLS, IOWA - The Drake volleyball turned in a strong performance in its Missouri Valley Conference opener, but Northern Iowa proved too powerful as the Panthers outlasted the Bulldogs in a 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 28-26, 25-17) triumph on Friday evening (Sept. 19) at the McLeod Center.

Drake fashioned one of its best efforts of the season attempting to collect its first victory over Northern Iowa since 1996, but fell to 7-5 (0-1 MVC) with the setback, while the Panthers improved to 10-1 overall, including 1-0 in league play.

“We held our own defensively against a talented Northern Iowa team tonight,” Drake head coach Phil McDaniel said. “We fought hard in every set and if we play that hard in every MVC match then we are going to be OK.”

Junior Chelsea Lauersdorf (Watertown, Wis./Watertown) turned in a masterful performance for the Bulldogs registering a 41-assist, 12-dig effort for her team-leading third double-double of the season. She finished the tilt attacking the ball at a career-best .500 clip.

Matching her with her third double-double of the campaign was sophomore Angela Bys (Marion, Iowa/Marion), who recorded a match-high 18 kills, while adding 10 digs.

The Bulldogs claimed the early lead posting a 25-21 decision in the first set.

The Panthers fought back to square the contest at one after earning a 25-19 victory in the second set. Northern Iowa fended off Drake in the third set, 28-26, before the Panthers sealed the triumph with a 25-17 set-four decision.

Sophomore Alana Wittenburg (Readlyn, Iowa/Wapsie Valley) paced four Drake players with double-figure digs with 23, while junior Emily Madden (Van Meter, Iowa/Adel DeSoto Minburn), Lauersdorf and Bys added 15, 12 and 10, respectively.

Freshman Michelle Reidy (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert Catholic) returned to the Bulldog line-up with a bang recording six kills and a match-high seven block assists. Redshirt freshman Mikayla Sims (Waterloo, Iowa/East) added 13 kills in the affair against no errors to notch a career-best .520 attack mark.

Shannon Aschoff directed Northern Iowa with a 17-kill, nine-dig performance.

The Panthers won the statistical battle in kills (59-49), assists (59-48), service aces (6-3), digs (72-66), while the Bulldogs bested Northern Iowa in blocks (10.0-3.0).

Drake closes out its road swing with a visit to Bradley on Saturday (Sept. 20). Match time is slated for 4:00 p.m.