DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University volleyball team concludes its non-conference season with three-games at the Hampton Inn Leatherneck Invitationl on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16-17 in Macomb, Ill.
 
The Bulldogs take on Southeast Missouri State and Western Illinois at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., respectively, on Friday. Drake concludes the tournament Saturday against Weber State at 2 p.m.  Southeast Missouri State and Western Illinois are both 1-10 so far this season, while Weber State boasts a perfect 6-0 record. The Bulldogs will be looking to defend their Leatherneck Invitational title from last season when the team rattled off four-straight wins to open the 2015 season.
 
Drake enters the tournament with an 8-3 record after taking second at the Eastern Illinois Tournament last weekend. Senior Makena Schoene (Seattle, Wash.) and junior Kameo Pope (Belle Plaine, Iowa) were named to the all-tournament team as Drake defeated Eastern Illinois and Louisiana Tech before falling to Bowling Green. The Bulldogs' three losses have come to teams combined for a 20-10 record with two of the losses being via five-set matches.
 
Sophomore Grace Schofield (Mundelein, Ill.) recorded 11 aces over the weekend including six in a three-set win over Eastern Illinois. Schofield leads the MVC with 19 aces this season while Pope ranks second with 18 and senior Chandelle Davidson (Gretna, Neb.) ranks seventh with 14. Drake leads the MVC with 71 aces this season and defensively the Bulldogs have held opponents to an MVC best .155 hitting percentage.
 
Following the Western Illinois tournament, Drake will open up MVC play with games at Evansville and Southern Illinois on Sept. 23 and Sept. 24, respectively.