DES MOINES, Iowa – The DePaul University volleyball team edged the Drake University volleyball team, 3-2 (25-22, 26-28, 15-25, 25-16, 15-2), in the Bulldogs opening match of the 2013 West Des Moines Sheraton Drake Invitational.

Cassie Effken (Lincoln, Neb.) blasted a career-high 17 kills, while Amanda Platte (Mount Vernon, Iowa) added 12 kills for Drake (1-4). Effken left the match late in the fourth set after suffering a leg injury. Senior Sarah Madden (Van Meter, Iowa) led the Bulldogs defense recording 29 digs.

DePaul (4-0) was led by Vesela Zapryanova who tallied 15 kills along with 26 digs, while Abbie Fleener, Callie Huebener, and Natalie Rizzo each finished with 11 kills. The Blue Demons take on South Dakota State and Eastern Illinois tomorrow at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.

Tonight's opening set was close early as neither team could build much separation until the Blue Demons went ahead 17-14, which forced the Bulldogs to use their first timeout. Out of the break, DePaul scored three of the next four points and Drake had to burn its final timeout of the set, trailing 20-15. The Bulldogs battled back with four straight points to cut the deficit to 21-20, which forced the Blue Demons to take their first timeout of the evening. Drake evened the score at 21-21, but DePaul answered with three straight points to force set point. DePaul's Callie Huebener closed the set with a kill to give the Blue Demons the victory, 25-22.

Back to back kills by Effken and two DePaul attack errors gave Drake an 8-5 advantage in set two. Consecutive kills by Platte pushed the Bulldogs lead to 11-7 and forced the Blue Demons to take their first timeout. DePaul went on an 8-2 scoring run to go ahead 15-13, but Drake answered with a 4-0 scoring run to take the lead at 17-15. The set stayed extremely close as neither side held a lead greater than two points the rest of the way. The Bulldogs held three set points and finally broke through for the win after DePaul committed three straight attack errors. There were seven lead changes and 14 ties in the frame, which the Bulldogs won 28-26.

A kill by Platte gave Drake a 13-9 advantage in set three and forced DePaul to take its first timeout of the set. Consecutive kills by freshman Makena Schoene (Seattle, Wash.) and Effken, a service ace by Capris Quaites (Omaha, Neb.) and an attack error by the Blue Demons extended the Bulldogs lead to 17-9 as DePaul quickly called its final timeout. Drake kept the pressure on cruising to a 25-15 victory, the final point on a kill by Effken. The Bulldogs finished the third set with a .333 hitting percentage.

DePaul took a 14-10 lead in the fourth set before Drake used its first timeout. The Blue Demons extended their lead to 18-11 after a kill by Abbie Fleener. The Bulldogs used their final timeout to try and slow the Blue Demons' momentum, but it wasn't enough as DePaul won 25-16, to force a fifth set.

The Bulldogs ran out of gas in the deciding set as the Blue Demons won, 15-2, for the match victory.

Drake plays Eastern Illinois and South Dakota State tomorrow at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. Live stats and live video will be available at www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com.