WORCESTER, Mass. - The Drake University volleyball team stretched its unbeaten record to 5-0 to start the season with a pair of wins on the first day of the Holy Cross Invitational Friday, Aug. 31.
The Bulldogs opened the day with a 3-0 sweep of Rhode Island by set scores of 25-21, 25-21, 25-12, and defeated Holy Cross, 3-1, in the nightcap. The Bulldogs defeated Holy Cross by scores of 25-23, 24-26, 25-21, 25-23. Holy Cross became the first team this season to even take a set off the Bulldogs as Drake has now won 15 of the 16 sets it has played.
"They were a very scrappy and tough team," Drake head coach Darrin McBroom said of Holy Cross. "We were fortunate to pull off a win in what was not our best performance. We managed to persevere and overall it was a good day for the Bulldogs with two wins. Hopefully, we can get one more tomorrow."
Elle Tubbs (Clinton, Iowa) continued to lead the Bulldogs as she racked up a combined 19 kills and 10 blocks in the two wins.
Grace Schofield (Mundelein, Ill.) added 18 kills and 18 digs on the day.
The Bulldogs rolled past Rhode Island in the morning match, outhitting the Rams, .346-.114 and registering 11 blocks in the three sets. Cathryn Cheek (Coppell, Texas) had 10 kills on 20 attempts in the three-set win while Tubbs added nine on just 14 swings. Twenty-six of the Bulldogs 38 kills came off assists from junior setter
Paige Aspinwall (Dayton, Minn.).
The evening match gave the Bulldogs a more significant challenge, but Tubbs added 10 kills while Schofield had 11 to push the Bulldogs past the homestanding Crusaders. Drake again recorded 11 team blocks with five from Tubbs, four from Natalie Fry (Allen, Texas) and four from
Emily Plock (Altoona, Iowa), who had seven kills on 16 attempts with no errors in the win.
Kylee Mackee (Ankeny, Iowa) also added 22 digs on defense.
A 5-0 run behind Schofield's serving helped the Bulldogs build up enough of a cushion to take the first set against Holy Cross, 25-23, but Holy Cross used three-straight points to close the second set, 26-24, and hand Drake its first set defeat of the season.
However, the Bulldogs responded by jumping out to a 7-3 lead in the third set and maintained that lead until Holy Cross used a 5-0 spurt to take a 20-19 lead. However, three kills from Tubbs keyed a 6-1 close to the game for the Bulldogs to earn the 25-21 set win.
Neither team led by more than three points at any point in the final a decisive fourth set and Drake faced a late 23-22 deficit. However, the Bulldogs rattled off three-straight points to take the set and maintain their unbeaten ledger to start the season.
The Bulldogs conclude the Holy Cross Invitational Saturday as they play for their second tournament title in as many weeks when they take on Columbia at 2 p.m. CDT.
