MACOMB, Ill. – The Drake University volleyball team split a pair of matches on the opening day of the Hampton Inn Leatherneck Invitational Friday, Sept. 16

The Bulldogs opened the day with a 3-0 sweep of Southeast Missouri State in the morning followed by a tough, 3-2, loss to the hosts, Western Illinois on Friday evening. The Bulldogs head into the final day of the three-game tournament with a 9-4 record on the season.

Kyla Inderski (Urbandale, Iowa) had 27 kills in the two matches, including 14 in the three-set win, while Makena Schoene (Seattle, Wash.) added 24 on the day.

Drake defeated Southeast Missouri State (1-11) by set scores of 25-19, 25-19, 25-20, behind .293 hitting and 12 total blocks. In the evening, Drake took the first set, 25-16, before falling in the next two frames, 31-29 and 25-21. However, the Bulldogs rallied to force a fifth set with a 25-15 win before falling, 15-12, in the decisive fifth set.

Kameo Pope (Belle Plaine, Iowa) had a career-high 13 kills against WIU and hit .478 while WIU's Shalyn Greenhaw recorded 23 kills on 51 attempts.

With the loss, three of Drake's four losses on the season have now come in five-set matches.

The Bulldogs return to the court on Saturday, Sept. 17, for a 2 p.m. match against undefeated Weber State to conclude the Leatherneck Invitational.