DES MOINES, IOWA - Senior Chelsea Lauersdorf
(Watertown, Wis./Watertown) collected 21 assists and 11 digs to power the Drake
women's volleyball team to a 3-1 Missouri Valley Conference victory (25-22,
23-25, 25-23, 25-21) past Evansville Friday night (Nov. 13) at the Drake Knapp
Center.
The victory pushed Drake's
record to 20-10, including an 8-7 league record. It marked the first time the
Drake volleyball program has won 20 matches in a season since the 1995 Bulldog
team posted a 25-11 record.
Drake also earned its 10th home
triumph, matching the most since the 1995 team also posted 10 victories in the
Knapp Center.
"We had a very well
executed defensive game plan and we needed every block and every dig to match
Evansville on the defensive side of the ball," said Drake head coach Phil McDaniel.
"Twenty wins is just a
number for us. Our goal is still to qualify for the conference tournament and
it doesn't mean much if it leaves us one match short."
Senior Emily Madden (Van Meter, Iowa/Adel DeSoto Minburn) became the fifth
player in Drake history to reach the 1,000-dig plateau after recording 10 digs
to push her career totals to 1,006.
"Emily has had a very
decorated career here," McDaniel said. "She has contributed on the
offensive and defensive side of the ball and is one of most gifted athletes to
come through the Drake volleyball program."
Junior Alana Wittenburg (Readlyn, Iowa/Wapsie Valley) led Drake with 24
digs. Sophomore Caitlin Johnson
(Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore Community) added 19 assists, while junior Angela Bys (Marion, Iowa/Marion) and
Madden each chipped in a team-high 12 kills.
"Our setters did a good
job distributing the ball," McDaniel said.
Evansville fell to 13-15
overall with a 6-10 league record.
The Bulldogs bested the
Purple Aces in blocks (14.0-5.0), while kills were all square (58-58) and
Evansville bettered Drake in assists (55-49), service aces (4-3) and digs
(81-78).
Drake closes out its home
campaign, playing host to Southern Illinois this Saturday on Senior Night with
Lauersdorf, Madden, and Lindsay Schryver
(Williams Bay, Wis./Williams Bay) being honored prior to the match.
"We're one step closer
to our goal. We must come out and play with the same intensity against Southern
Illinois," McDaniel added.
