AKRON, Ohio – The Drake University volleyball team improved its record to 5-1 on the season as it knocked off the Austin Peay Governors, 3-1, and the Bryant Bulldogs, 3-0, on the opening day of the 2014 Akron Invitational in Akron, Ohio. Drake won by scores of 25-23, 25-11, 15-25 and 25-17 against Austin Peay and by scores of 26-24, 25-17 and 25-19 in the sweep of Bryant.

Drake controlled the first set against Bryant until late when Bryant erased a 23-19 deficit to even the score at 24-24. Drake quickly used a timeout and after the break scored back-to-back kills by Inderski and Quaites to win, 26-24.

With the score tied 3-3 in the second set, Drake fired off six-straight points to take a 9-3 lead. Bryant would chip away to get the deficit to 16-13, until Drake pulled away for the 25-17 victory.

Drake erased a 4-1 deficit early in the third set to hold a 6-4 lead as it seemed ready to cruise to the sweep. However, Bryant battled back from a 19-12 deficit with five-straight points to pull within 19-17. Drake didn't panic and after a timeout scored six of the next eight points to earn its first sweep of the year.

Kyla Inderski (Urbandale, Iowa) had 12 kills as the freshman has now recorded double figure kills in each of her first six career matches. Junior Katie Dulek (Lenexa, Kan.) had seven kills, three service aces and finished with a .636 hitting percentage. Redshirt freshman Taylor Zant (Libertyville, Ill.) blasted seven kills in her first career start.

In the first match of the day against Austin Peay, Drake controlled the opening set as it built leads of 11-6 and 17-10, and forced Austin Peay to call both of its timeouts. The Bulldogs at one point ripped off eight-straight points as they cruised to a 25-13 win.

The second set was again dominated by Drake as it scored the final seven points of the frame to coast to a 25-11 victory. The Bulldogs connected for a .480 hitting percentage with 13 kills to just one attack error.

Austin Peay rebounded to take the third set, 25-15, as Drake finished with just six kills with six attack errors. However, the Bulldogs regrouped to take the match with a 25-15 win in set four. Drake finished with 14 kills and two attack errors in the fourth set.

Inderski finished with a match-high 15 kills and a blistering .433 hitting percentage against the Governors. She added seven digs, one block and one service ace. Sophomore Nicole Woods (St. Charles, Ill.) recorded six kills and three service aces, while Dulek had six kills and four blocks and match-leading .857 hitting percentage.

“I am happy for our team to pick up two wins today, said head coach Darrin McBroom. “Some individuals had amazing days. Katie (Dulek) had her best-ever hitting matches of her career. Taylor (Zant) had an amazing day with her first career start tonight.”

Drake closes play at the Akron Invitational with matches against Akron and Binghamton on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively.

“We need to continue to work on some things, and be crisper in our play,” McBroom said. “To continue to win we are going to need to fix those things, but I'm proud of the team and the nice job they did today.”