MANHATTAN, Kan. - The Drake University volleyball team dropped a heated five-set match (22-25, 28-30, 25-23, 25-19, 9-15) at Kansas State, Monday in Manhattan, Kan. The Bulldogs fell to 3-8 on the season.

Head coach Tony Sunga called outside hitter Bentley Mancini (Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley) "Our key to the match" after the junior tallied a career-best 18 kills in 46 swings and led Drake with a .348 attack percentage.

"They had no answer for her," Sunga said.

Junior Whitney Westrum (Waukee, Iowa/Waukee) totaled 14 kills and tied a career-high with 23 digs.

"Whitney had a solid performance," Sunga added. "She dug lights-out."

The Bulldogs entered the locker room down 0-2, facing their fifth three-set defeat. Mancini led Drake to victory in game three with six kills. The rest of the Drake offense totaled five kills.

Westrum and Mancini tallied four kills each in a 25-19 fourth-set victory that forced a decisive game five.

"I spoke to them about not only carrying the flag for Drake University, but also for the [Missouri] Valley [Conference] and they took it to heart," Sunga said. "They were not intimidated."

Junior Emily Heffernen (Manchester, Iowa/West Delaware) tallied eight kills and an impressive eight total blocks (7 BAs, 1 BS).

"This was our fifth match in four days," Sunga added. "We are showing toughness and resilience."

The Bulldogs travel to Omaha, Neb. next weekend to compete in the Creighton Classic. Drake's 7 p.m. match with Creighton on Friday doubles as both teams' conference-opener.

"I am proud of them," Sunga said. "We are hoping to carry this momentum into next weekend."