DES MOINES, Iowa - The Drake University volleyball team won its home opener, 3-2 (16-25, 25-20, 25-15, 22-25, 15-11) over IPFW to cap day one of the Sheraton West Des Moines Drake Invitational. The win also served as head coach Tony Sunga's first victory in the Knapp Center as a head coach.

Junior Whitney Westrum along with senior setter Caitlin Johnson (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore Community) provided the spark that pushed Drake to a 1-0 record in Des Moines. After falling, 25-16, in the opening set, the Bulldogs came to life, taking game two 25-20 and offering a dominant 25-15 effort in the third set. Drake sputtered in the fourth game, a 25-22 setback, but Westrum powered the Bulldogs to a 15-11 deciding-set victory, punctuating the match with her career-best 16th kill.

"This is what makes our game fun," said Sunga. "At that point [game five], it was a tossup. The fifth set goes to the team that gets out of the gate quickly and is able to sustain intensity. Tonight, that was us."

Westrum totaled 16 kills in 36 attacks, good for a career-high .361 hitting percentage. Johnson totaled 45 assists and registered her second double-double of the season with 12 digs. The senior also added two blocks and three kills to diversify her stat line. 

"She is a natural blocker," Sunga said of Johnson. "She has a nose for the ball and we give her free reign to go up if she wants. When one of the smallest players on the team blocks some of their best hitters, that's the kind of thing that fires up a team."

Senior Michelle Reidy (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert) added 11 kills on 25 swings and three total blocks.

The Bulldogs meet Wyoming Saturday at noon and close the Sheraton West Des Moines Drake Invitational with a 7:30 p.m. matchup against Milwaukee.

"We're expecting to battle," Sunga said.