DES MOINES, Iowa — The Drake University volleyball team won its 23rd match of the year and improved 12-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference in a 3-0 sweep of visiting Evansville Saturday, Nov. 4, evening at the Knapp Center.
 
Drake had a total of 78 digs, its highest total of the season in three sets, while hitting .233to earn its second win of the season against Evansville by set scores of 25-22, 30-28, 25-20. The 23^rd win of the season ties for the third most in program history since 1982 and is just two wins shy of the record.
 
"We're excited about the win and what that means for the program, but we're not focusing on the wins, but rather how we need to play the game," said Drake head coach Darrin McBroom. "If we play great volleyball and take care of the ball, the wins we'll come. We're excited but we're maintaining the focus of being the best we can be."
 
Drake (23-6,12-3 MVC) was led by freshman Emily Plock (Altoona, Iowa) with 15 kills, her second highest total of the season, followed by 12 kills each from freshman Natalie Fry (Allen, Texas) and senior Kyla Inderski (Urbandale, Iowa). Inderski also had 23 digs and sophomore Paige Aspinwall (Dayton, Minn.) had 29 of the team's 52 assists with her sets allowing Fry and Plock to hit .417 and .364, respectively.
 
"Tonight, we got our middles involved," McBroom said. "We've been an outside dominated team and we know we have to find other ways to score. Having them [the middles] carry the load tonight will make our team better. Credit to our setters for getting our middles involved and mixing up the offense.
 
Mildrelis Rodriguez led Evansville (10-16, 4-10 MVC) with 13 kills. Cassie Brooks contributed with 21 digs.
 
"Evansville is a very difficult team to play, they're challenging opponent every time we play," McBroom said. "They play with a lot of heart and energy. If you get into a long rally with them, they're going to win. I'm proud of our team finding ways to win tonight and get points when we needed."
 
With Evansville taking the first four points of the opening set, Drake struggled to take the lead in the first set. The Bulldogs were down 22-18 toward the end of the set, but fired back with an impressive 7-0 run to win the set, 25-22, with two kills from Plock and one kill from freshman Gillian Gergen (Janesville, Iowa).
 
In the second set, Evansville took the lead for the first half with a 6-0 run and Drake and Evansville were neck-and-neck into the end of the set, but a block from Gergen tied the match at 24-24 and forced extra points. With two kills from Fry and one kill from Inderski, the Bulldogs finished their second set win of the night 30-28.
 
The third set went much smoother and more clinical for the Bulldogs. The Aces took the lead early in the set again, but the Bulldogs fired back with a kill from Inderski to tie the Aces 15-15. With two final kills from Inderski, Drake pulled away to take the set 25-20 and the match 3-0.
 
The Bulldogs hit the road again to resume MVC action on Saturday, Nov. 11, against SIU at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 12, against Missouri State at 2 p.m. Both matches will be broadcast on The Valley On ESPN3.