NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State, the current second-place team in the Missouri Valley Conference, handed the Drake University volleyball team a 3-0 loss Friday, Nov. 2, evening at Redbird Arena.

Illinois State prevailed by set scores of 25-2, 25-13, 25-18 to hold firm in second place in the MVC at 13-1 and 21-5 overall.

Drake (17-11, 5-8 MVC) was led by 10 kills on 21 attempts by sophomore Emily Plock (Altoona, Iowa) while Cathryn Cheek (Coppell, Texas) had 11 kills to record her 10th-straight game with double-digit kills. She also added 10 digs for a double-double.

Freshman Caitlyn Smith (Marion, Iowa) had 22 of the Bulldogs' 31 assists in the loss.

Illinois State had three players with double-digit kills including Ali Line (12), Lexi Varga (11) and Kaylee Martin (10). As a team, Illinois State hit .392.

The Bulldogs rallied from a seven-point deficit to nearly take the opening set with a kill from Plock pulling the team within three points at 21-18. However, the Redbirds had enough of a cushion to hold off the Bulldogs and take an early lead in the match with the 25-21 win in the first set.

Drake had an early 9-6 lead in the second set before Redbirds outscored the Bulldogs 19-4 the rest of the way, including nine-straight points to win the set 25-13 with seven combined kills from Line, Varga and Stef Jankiewicz.

Undeterred by that finish, the Bulldogs continued to fight as they have all season in the third set by keeping pace with the Redbirds. However, Illinois State used a 7-0 run to turn a one-point lead into a comfortable advantage to win the set, 25-18, and sweep the Bulldogs.

Drake continues its trip to Central Illinois when it travels to Bradley Saturday, Nov. 2, for a 7 p.m. contest.