CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – UNI handed the Drake University volleyball team a 3-0 defeat on Saturday evening in the first of two meetings between the in-state, Missouri Valley Conference foes this season. The Panthers took the match by set scores of 25-13, 25-20 and 25-18.

Drake (13-13, 4-5 MVC) was led by seven kills and 12 digs from sophomore Kyla Inderski (Urbandale, Iowa) while UNI's (11-10, 5-3 MVC) Anne Held had 15 kills and 11 digs as one of three Panthers in double-figure kills.

The Bulldogs fell behind early in the first set, 12-3, and would get no closer than seven points for the remainder of the set as UNI cruised to a 25-13 set win behind .268 hitting.

The second set was more contested as Drake stayed within striking distance until a 6-2 UNI run gave the Panthers an 8-point, 18-10, cushion. However, Drake later answered with a 5-0 run as Michelle Thommi's (Omaha, Neb.) serving led to three-straight UNI attack errors followed by an ace to make the score 20-18. However, UNI countered with a 5-2 spurt to close the set, 25-20.

Drake took an early 5-3 lead in the third set as Katie Dulek's (Lenexa, Kan.) serving forced back-to-back errors followed by a block from Grace Schofield (Mundelein, Ill.) and Katie Allen (Mokena, Ill.). That lead evaporated moments later due to a 7-2 UNI charge that gave the Panthers a lead they would not relinquish despite Drake tying the match three times. A 5-0 UNI run later built up an advantage the Bulldogs could not tackle in dropping the final set, 25-18.

Saturday's game was the second of four-straight MVC games on the road for the Bulldogs. The team will wrap up that road swing on next weekend with a Friday match at SIU followed by a Saturday contest at Evansville.