Senior libero Alana Wittenburg (Readlyn, Iowa) tallied a game-high 24 digs to break her own single-season Drake digs record, set last year at 633. Wittenburg's dig total stands at 653 with four regular season matches remaining.

"She's a catalyst back there and the defensive captain," said head coach Phil McDaniel. "She's worked very hard to break that record once again this year."

Senior Alisa DeBerg Roth (Hudson, Iowa) tied a season high with 15 kills to lead the Bulldog attack. Senior Mikayla Sims (Waterloo, Iowa) notched a season-high with 11 kills in 27 swings and added six digs and two total blocks, while sophomores Emily Heffernen (Manchester, Iowa) and Whitney Westrum (Waukee, Iowa) totaled 14 and 10 kills, respectively. Heffernen led the Bulldogs with a .565 attack percentage, including a .714 mark in a six-kill third set.

"We were attacking the ball very well tonight," McDaniel said. "That was the focus, to stay aggressive."

Senior setter Susan Clausen (Johnston, Iowa) notched the game's lone double-double, her fourth of the season.

Drake held the Bears to a .152 attack percentage, including a -.029 mark in the opening set.

"We stayed focused the whole match and executed as well as we could have," McDaniel added. "We forced them into some bad hitting situations."

The Bulldogs improved to 22-7 overall and evened their MVC record to 7-7. Missouri State fell to 17-7 on the year, including 8-5 in the Valley. Drake remains one game ahead of Illinois State (6-8 MVC) for the final spot in the State Farm MVC Tournament.

"Making the tournament has been the goal all year and now we're closer than ever," McDaniel said. "We've got to make sure we stay focused and keep our eye on the prize."

The victory was the squad's 22nd of the season, tying the 2009 team for the sixth-most in program history.

Drake plays at Wichita State Saturday at 7 p.m.