EVANSVILLE, IND. - The Drake
volleyball team strung together it third consecutive impressive league performance on
Saturday evening (Oct. 17) as the Bulldogs registered a 3-0 (25-19, 30-28,
25-16) Missouri Valley Conference triumph at Evansville.
The win enabled Drake to push its record to 15-7 overall and 5-4 in
league action, while the Purples Aces saw their ledger fall to 11-10 on the
year and 4-5 in MVC play.
"We controlled the match this evening at the net, highlighted by nine
and seven blocks from Michelle (Reidy) and Emily (Heffernen)," Bulldog head
coach Phil McDaniel commented. "Our defense was as sharp as I've seen
it this season."
Drake took command of the match from the start as the Bulldogs committed
only four attack errors en route to registering a .185 attack mark in game one
to collect a 25-19 triumph.
Evansville had 12 errors in the frame and didn't record a hitting
percentage.
The offensive intensity picked up in the second game as Drake struck the
ball at a .310 clip but had to fend off a Purple Aces' charge to earn a 30-28
decision.
Evansville proved to be its own worst enemy in the deciding third frame
as the Purple Aces committed 14 errors, while netting just 10 kills and dropped
a 25-16 decision.
Buoyed by a .455 attack mark from redshirt sophomore Mikayla Sims (Waterloo, Iowa/East), the
Bulldogs finished the match recording a .235 hitting percentage.
Defensively, led by nine and seven blocks, respectively, from sophomore Michelle Reidy (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert
Catholic) and redshirt freshman Emily Heffernen (Manchester, Iowa/West Delaware), Drake was dominating at the net
as its outblocked Evansville, 17.0-5.0, en route to holding the Purple Aces to
a .041 attack mark.
Junior Angela Bys (Marion,
Iowa/Marion) directed the offensive effort for the Bulldogs with a team-high
11-kill performance, while committing only one hitting error. Junior Alana Wittenburg (Readlyn, Iowa/Wispier Valley) led Drake with 16
digs, while senior Chelsea Lauersdorf
(Watertown, Iowa/Watertown) and sophomore Caitlin Johnson (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore Community) contributed 23 and 11 assists,
respectively.
Ginta Gabruseva's 13-kill, 10-dig double-double paced the Evansville
arsenal.
The Bulldogs won the match despite being bettered in the final
statistical count in kills (40-39), assists (40-38), service aces (3-2) and digs
(58-56).
"Tonight was a total team effort," McDaniel said. "It provided us with some momentum as
we begin the second half of our conference season next weekend against Indiana
State and Illinois State at home."
With its victory, Drake has won its most matches in a season since
posting a 24-4 mark in 1996. The
Bulldogs are also now only two wins away from ensuring their first winning
season since 1996.
Drake returns to action on Tuesday evening (Oct. 20) as the Bulldogs
face a road date at Western Illinois.
Match time is slated for 7:00 p.m.
