The Drake University volleyball team continues Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend at home against Wichita State and Missouri State this Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs return to their home court with a 10-6 overall record and a 1-1 mark in MVC action. Both matches will be broadcasted on
The Valley On ESPN3.
Wichita State travels to Des Moines with an overall record of 9-4 and a perfect 2-0 record to open the Valley season, while Missouri State comes to the Knapp Center with a record of 9-7 following back-to-back losses to open the MVC season. However, WSU and MSU were picked to finish first and second, respectively, in the MVC preseason poll and both are coming off of NCAA Tournament appearances last season.
Drake has shown significant improvement in the middle this season and after the first weekend of conference play is second in league games in blocks with 2.2 per set. Leading the Bulldogs at the net is newcomer
Kameo Pope (Belle Plaine, Neb.),
Capris Quaites (Omaha, Neb.), and
Makena Schoene (Seattle, Wash.) as all have recorded more than 40 blocks this season.
Schoene has also shined on offense as of late with 23 kills in the last two games to open MVC play while hitting .224. On the season, she is second on the team in kills with 165 and has recorded double-digit kill totals in the last four matches for the Bulldogs.
Kyla Inderski (Urbandale, Iowa) leads the bulldogs with 211 kills this season for a 3.3 kills per set average that ranks seventh in the MVC.
Last Friday, WSU's Emily Hiebert led the Shockers to a five-set win at Missouri State and is one of the top setters in the nation with more than 3,000 assists as just a junior. This season she is averaging 10.3 assists per set to engineer a WSU offense that leads the league in hitting percentage at .293. Meanwhile Missouri State is led by two-time All-American and 2015 MVC Player of the Year Lily Johnson. The junior is averaging 4.2 kills per set to lead the league and has had double-figure kills in 27 straight matches.
Following this weekend, the Bulldogs continue their four-game homestand on Monday against Illinois State. First serve for that game is set for 6 p.m.
