The Basics
Drake enters the week with records of 24-6 overall and 15-2 in Missouri Valley Conference action. Drake has an unbeaten record of 8-0 at home this season and will look to maintain that mark with a rematch against league-leading UNI on Wednesday, Nov. 16 in the regular season finale.
Bulldogs by the Numbers
Drake extended its winning streak to 10 matches last weekend with a pair of MVC sweeps over Missouri State (11/11) and Southern Illinois (11/12). The Bulldogs have also won 14 of their last 15 matches. In their 10-game run, Drake has dropped just two total sets and earned eight wins via sweep.
Haley Bush leads the Bulldog offense with 411 total kills, the third-most in the Valley. Bush has been one of the best all-around players in the conference this season with 21 service aces and 247 digs, both in the top three on the Drake roster.
Mariana Rodrigues has also been a force for the Bulldogs this year with 375 kills, the second-highest total for the Bulldogs and fifth-most in the MVC. Rodrigues' recent success has been recognized with the most recent installment of the league' Player of the Week award.
Elsewhere, true freshman Addison Beagle also earned another weekly award. The Missouri native picked up her fifth MVC Freshman of the Week honor after great games against Missouri State and Southern Illinois. Beagle leads Drake and is second in the conference with 1,254 assists and an average of 11.40 assists per set. She also leads Drake with 39 aces and is second on the team with 251 digs.
Defensively, Drake's
Kacie Rewerts has been the best front-line stalwart in the MVC this year. Her 138 blocks and 1.37 blocks per set average are tops in the entire league. Bulldog libero
Jada Wills has also had a remarkable year with 582 digs, the second-most in the Valley.
Tournament Time
From November 20-23, the MVC Volleyball Tournament will converge Evansville, Ind. The Purple Aces will host the MVC Championship at Meeks Family Fieldhouse for the first time in program history.
Tournament play will start on Sunday, Nov. 20 and conclude on Wednesday, Nov. 23 with the conference tournament championship match.
Scouting UNI
UNI has locked up the top seed in the MVC Tournament after winning the 2022 regular season crown. The Panthers enter the week with a 24-6 overall record and an unblemished 17-0 in MVC play. UNI has won 17 matches in a row, all in conference action, including a five-set thriller over Southern Illinois (11/11) and a four-set victory over Missouri State (11/12).
UNI is led by a pair of hitters with over 300 kills. Emily Holterhaus paces the Panthers with 362 kills while Kira Fallert has recorded 321. Tayler Alden, UNI's setter, has dished out 1,136 assists. Reigning MVC Defensive Player of the Week and Texas transfer Sydney Petersen leads the Panthers with 35 services aces and 473 digs. Carly Spies has also been a defensive standout for UNI with 119 blocks.
UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen is in the 23rd year of her legendary career. The Panthers' coach has amassed a record of 553-200 at the helm of the UNI volleyball program.
The Panthers are also undefeated at home with a 12-0 record in the McLeod Center while posting a respectable 9-3 mark on the road. One of Northern Iowa's home victories came over Drake in their first matchup of the season. UNI beat Drake 3-1 on Oct. 11 in the Bulldogs' last loss. The Panthers lead the all-time series with Drake by a 73-6 margin. Drake's last win over UNI came in a 3-0 sweep on Oct. 1, 2021.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will travel to Evansville, Ind. for the 2022 MVC Tournament. Drake has locked up the second-overall seed in the MVC Tournament and will receive a double-bye to the semifinals.
