The Drake University volleyball team opens up conference play with a pair of matches against Friday and Saturday at the Knapp Center. The Bulldogs will face Indiana State on Friday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. at the Knapp Center before facing Evansville at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. Both matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Drake (6-7) is coming off of a 3-2 win over North Carolina A&T at the UNCW Invitational. The Bulldogs went 1-2 at the event, with each match going to the fifth set including a near-comeback against the hosting UNC Wilmington. Emily Plock led the Bulldogs in their win over the Aggies with 18 kills, and Paige Aspinwall totaled a season-high 46 assists.

Indiana State (2-8) will also be opening its Missouri Valley Conference season, and are looking to win their third consecutive game after beginning the season 0-8.

Before facing the Bulldogs, Evansville (9-2) will head to Cedar Falls to face UNI in its MVC season opener. The Purple Aces are riding an eight-game win streak and have not lost since a 3-0 sweep at the hands of SEMO on Sept. 7.

Following this weekend's matches, the Bulldogs will head to Chicago, Ill., for a meeting with the Loyola Ramblers at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30 before a weekend road-trip against Southern Illinois and Missouri State on Oct. 4-5.