ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO 3 DRAKE 1

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Illinois at Chicago rallied to beat the Drake University volleyball team, 3-1 (14-25, 25-18, 25-12, 26-24), Friday night at the 2013 Hawkeye Challenge hosted by the University of Iowa. The Hawkeyes defeated the Bulldogs, 3-1, earlier in the day.

Against UIC, Drake (1-8) was paced on offense by freshman Capris Quaites (Omaha, Neb.), who smashed a team-high 10 kills and added nine digs, four blocks and three blocks. Sophomore Shelby Daum (Battle Creek, Neb.) added seven kills, while setter Rebecca Brown (Bentonville, Ark.) dished out 27 assists to go along with nine digs and two service aces.

The Bulldogs captured the first set, 25-14, behind three kills each by junior Amanda Platte (Mount Vernon, Iowa) and Quaites. Drake ripped off seven-straight points to open the match as the Flames did not score until Brown committed a service error. The Bulldogs finished the set with a .333 hitting percentage.

UIC (4-5) started set two with three consecutive points as the Bulldogs struggled to put the ball in play committing two attack errors. Brown's service ace gave Drake its only lead of the set, 13-12, but it was all UIC as they went on for the 25-18 win.

Drake put its self in a hole in set three as UIC raced to an early 7-0 advantage, which forced the Bulldogs to take its first timeout. The timeout did not help as the Bulldogs could never find a scoring rhythm as the Flames cruised to a 25-12 victory to go up 2-1 in the match.

Molly McCoy smashed a kill to put UIC ahead 19-13 in the fourth set, but the Bulldogs battled back to cut the deficit to 21-19, the last point on a service ace by freshman Michelle Thommi (Omaha, Neb.). The ace prompted the Flames to use a timeout. Out of the break, the two teams exchanged points as the set was tied at 24-24 after a bad set by the Flames' Mary Kate Imrie. However, the Bulldogs fell just short of forcing a deciding fifth set as a kill by Casey Harris and an attack error by Daum gave UIC the match win, 26-24.

“It's frustrating because we are doing so many things so well, but we haven't been able to put it all together for a win,” said head coach Darrin McBroom. “Against Iowa we came out flat in the opening set, but bounced back well in the second set and third sets. Tonight it was flipped we came out and dominated in the first against UIC then we were flat in the next two sets. The girls did a good job of battling in the fourth set and tying the match up. Unfortunately we could not force a fifth set.”

The Bulldogs recorded 22 blocks led by a career-high eight blocks by freshman Tegan LaBerge (Maple Grove, Minn.). LaBerge added four kills and two digs as she made her fourth consecutive start at the middle blocker position in place of the injured Cassie Effken (Lincoln, Neb.).

“Tomorrow is going to be another tough day with two very good opponents,” said McBroom. “Our freshmen have to continue to step up in place of Cassie. We are on the verge of breaking through and I'm excited to see the team I know we can be. We just have to put it all together and have consistency.”

Drake plays two matches tomorrow with a 10 a.m. matchup against Ball State and a 5 p.m. contest opposite Western Illinois. Live stats will be available at www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com.

IOWA 3, DRAKE 1

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa Hawkeyes knocked off the Drake Bulldogs, 3-1 (25-12, 24-26, 25-18, 25-13), this afternoon in Drake's opening match of the 2013 Hawkeye Challenge.

Junior Amanda Platte (Mount Vernon, Iowa) connected for a team-leading 13 kills for Drake (1-6), while sophomore Shelby Daum (Battle Creek, Neb.) added eight kills and a team-high five blocks.

The Hawkeyes dominated the opening set winning 25-12 behind a strong offensive attack with 16 kills and two service aces. Daum had two kills and two blocks as the Bulldogs were limited to just four kills, and committed five attack errors.

Drake went on a 5-0 scoring run midway in the second set to lead, 13-11, and forced Iowa to burn its first timeout. The run started with back-to-back blocks by Daum and freshman Makena Schoene (Seattle, Wash.) and was capped with a kill by freshman Tegan LaBerge (Maple Grove, Minn.).

Later Daum's kill gave the Bulldogs a 16-15 advantage before the Hawkeyes answered with their own scoring run to take a 20-17 lead. Consecutive kills by Schoene cut the Drake deficit to 21-20, and the Bulldogs completed the rally to take the second set, 26-24. Drake's offensive attack improved in the second frame as the Bulldogs recorded a.283 hitting percentage with 16 kills and just five attack errors. There were 10 ties and six lead changes in the set.

A kill by Platte off an assist by Rebecca Brown (Bentonville, Ark.) put Drake up 17-14 in the third set. However, the Bulldogs could not hold off the Hawkeyes, who rallied with an 11-1 run to win the set, 25-18. Platte had six kills in the third, while Brown dished out nine assists as the Bulldogs finished with 14 kills.

In the fourth set, freshman Michelle Thommi (Omaha, Neb.) evened the score at 7-7 with a service ace, but Iowa over powered Drake as the Hawkeyes cruised to the match win.

Brown finished with a team-high 25 assists, while Schoene added five kills, two digs and two blocks.