AMES, Iowa – Iowa State pushed past the Drake University volleyball team, 3-1, Friday evening at Hilton Coliseum in the season opener for both teams.
 
Iowa State won the first two sets by matching 25-20 margins before the Bulldogs stormed back to take the third set, 25-23. However, the Cyclones rebounded in the fourth set, 25-17, to take the match.
 
Drake was led by defending Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Haley Bush, who had a game-high 19 kills on 49 attempts along with nine digs.
 
With her defensive prowess, senior Kylee Macke had 18 digs and kept countless rallies alive for the Bulldogs, especially in the third set. Jada Wills, Maddie Holt and Caitlyn Smith also tallied double-digit digs. Smith also added 26 assists.
 
A pair of newcomers led Drake at the net as freshman Ashlynn Kuhn had four blocks while transfer Mariana Rodrigues added three. Kacie Rewerts also tallied three blocks.
 
Five Cyclones registered double-figure kills, with Brooke Andersen and Eleanor Holthaus each hitting 14. As a team, ISU outhit Drake .236-to-.105.
 
In Drake's third-set victory, the team used a 4-0 run early to take a 10-6 lead and never trailed again despite Iowa State tying the set at 19-19. The Bulldogs briefly stretched the lead back out before ISU drew even again at 23-23. However, a pair of Cyclone miscues gave the Bulldogs the two-point cushion to take the set.
 
Drake appeared poised to build off that win, taking a 4-0 lead to start the fourth set. But the Cyclones answered later with a 6-0 spurt to take a 12-8 lead. ISU stretched that advantage to as many as seven points, and the Bulldogs were unable to rally back and force a fifth set.
 
The Bulldogs return to action Sunday afternoon for another match in Ames, Iowa. The team takes on Omaha at 1 p.m.