DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University volleyball team defeated visiting South Dakota State, 3-2, in a five-set match on Tuesday evening at the Knapp Center.

The Bulldogs (4-1) held off the Jackrabbits (1-3) by set scores of 20-25, 25-14, 25-14, 23-25, 15-4, to win their home opener.

"We were happy with the outcome and it was a good test to get pushed in a long game like that," said Drake head coach Darrin McBroom. "We wish we wouldn't have been in a fifth sett. There were a lot of areas we struggled and we weren't as terminal offensively as we had been."

Junior Kyla Inderski (Urbandale, Iowa) recorded her third double-double of the season with 13 digs and a career-high 21 kills in the win while hitting .405. Sophomore Grace Schofield (Mundelein, Ill.) recorded her first double-double of the season with 13 kills and 12 digs. 

Senior Makena Schoene (Seattle, Wash.) and Capris Quaites (Omaha, Neb.) also tallied double-digit kills with 13 and 10, respectively. Freshman Paige Aspinwall (Dayton, Minn.) had a strong showing in her first game at the Knapp Center tallying 29 assists and eight digs. 

After splitting the two opening sets, the Bulldogs used a 10-2 run in the third set to distance themselves from the Jackrabbits. A later 7-1 run kept Drake in control to easily win the third set, 25-14. 

The fourth set remained tight before South Dakota State took their first lead since the opening set, 18-15, after a 6-1 run. Drake got within one point at 24-23 but ultimately fell 25-23. 

The Bulldogs took the fifth set via a commanding 11-1 run to win 15-4. 

Drake will travel to Omaha, Neb. for the Omaha Classic beginning Friday, Sept. 2 where they will take on Ball State in the first of three games on the weekend. 

"We're going to need to play a little better this weekend than we did tonight and improve our serve/receive and work on the defensive side of the ball," McBroom added.