CEDAR FALLS, IOWA -
The Drake University volleyball team dropped a 3-1 (20-25, 25-16, 21-25, 13-25)
Missouri Valley Conference decision to No. 14 UNI after entering the
intermission with the score knotted at one set each.
Sophomore Whitney Westrum (Waukee, Iowa) sparked a 9-4 Drake rally that turned a 17-11 UNI
lead into a 20-20 tie in the opening set. Westrum led the rally with two kills
and a block. The Panthers scored five-straight points, including two on service
aces by senior libero Ellie Blankenship, to with the set, 25-20.
Westrum set a career high with 12 kills and added 14 digs
to tally her third-career and third-straight double-double.
Drake earned an impressive 25-16 victory in set two after
jumping to an 8-2 advantage and holding the lead for the duration of the set. The
win was the most lopsided Drake victory over UNI since the NCAA went to the
current scoring format in 2008. Junior Michelle Reidy (Dubuque, Iowa) tallied four kills to lead Drake in the second set.
Junior setter Caitlin Johnson (Sycamore, Ill.)
tallied her team-best 11th double-double of the season with 27 assists and 12
digs. Johnson, Westrum and senior libero Alana Wittenburg (Readlyn, Iowa) all tallied double-digit dig totals with
Wittenburg's 16 leading the team.
Senior Angela Bys (Marion, Iowa) led the
Bulldogs with 12 kills.
Drake fell to 18-6
overall, including 4-6 in the MVC. UNI improved to 19-2 overall and moved its
conference-best record to 10-0.
The Bulldogs meet
Bradley in Peoria, Ill. Sunday at noon.
