Box Score DES MOINES, Iowa – Drake volleyball's historic season came to an emotional close on Wednesday evening as the Bulldogs fell to Boston College in the NIVC Championship match (22-25, 25-21, 18-25, 27-29). Drake's season concluded with a record of 30-8, the most single season wins in program history.
 
Boston College started hot in the first set scoring the match's first two points. Drake finally got on the board with an error by Eagle setter Kate Brennan. The Bulldogs rallied to tie the score at four before BC settled in for another roll of their own. Katrina Jensen eventually forced an early Drake timeout by capping off a 4-0 run with her first kill of the match. The Bulldogs eventually curtailed BC's first set run with a block by Ashlynn Kuhn and Addison Beagle.
 
Trailing 21-13, Drake finally got comfortable. The Bulldogs scored four-straight points including a trio of kills from Haley Bush, Mariana Rodrigues, and Ashlynn Kuhn to trim the lead to 21-17. The Bulldogs continued their comeback in the first set with back-to-back kills by Rodrigues and Taylor Oberpriller to get within two. Despite their late momentum, the Bulldogs could not quite catch up to BC as the Eagles won the set, 25-22.
 
The second set started in similar fashion as the Eagles sprinted out to a 6-1 run fueled by three-straight Bulldog errors. Drake was able to stay within striking distance through most of the second set. Kacie Rewerts and Haley Bush combined for a block midway through the period to knot the score at 14 apiece. Bush then promptly slammed a kill for the Bulldogs' first lead of the match. Rodrigues then deposited her seventh kill of the night to take a 21-18 lead, Drake's largest of the match to that point, and force BC to burn a timeout.
 
The Bulldogs were able to fend off a late run by the Eagles as Rodrigues and Rewerts combined for the set-winning block. Drake's 25-21 victory in the second period evened the match score.
 
Boston College built another early lead in the third set, jumping out to quick 10-3 advantage. Drake was forced to take another timeout in attempts to slow down a cruising Eagle squad. The Bulldog break did alter BC's momentum as Drake was able to get within five points before the Eagles opened things up again. Boston College's early blitz was too much for the Bulldogs in the third set despite another late effort. The Eagles took a 2-1 lead in the match after capturing the set, 25-18.
 
Drake began the fourth set in desperation mode, jumping out to a 6-2 lead. The Eagles' deficit did not last long, however, as Boston College eventually took a 10-9 advantage behind three-consecutive Silvia Ianeselli kills. Boston College was able to maneuver themselves to another lead before the Bulldogs stormed back. Bush followed a pair of BC errors to climb within one point, 19-18, and force an Eagle timeout. Drake came out of the hiatus on fire and tied the match at 20 all.
 
Both teams went back-and-forth at the end of the fourth set as each coach used a challenge. The Bulldogs and Eagles traded blows until Boston College outlasted Drake 29-27 and won the match 3-1.
 
Mariana Rodrigues led the match with 22 kills and was named to the All-Tournament team. Star hitter Haley Bush also earned All-Tournament honors after posting 19 kills and 13 digs. Addison Beagle distributed an impressive 51 assists.
 
Defensively, Jada Wills logged 37 digs to lead the contest while Kacie Rewerts posted seven blocks.
 
"I'm really proud of our team for how they competed tonight," Drake head coach Darrin McBroom said after the match. "[I'm proud of] how they battled back in the last set with everything on the line. The fans made a great atmosphere, so I'm very thankful and grateful to our community for coming out and showing support for our team. We set a record for wins and broke all these other records, but what's next? This season was a great foundation for the future of the program."
 
NOTES

• With five kills in the opening set, Haley Bush eclipsed 1,300 career kills. She also became the first player in Drake history to record 500+ kills in a single season.
• Mariana Rodrigues finished the season with 510 kills on the season to join Haley Bush as the only Drake volleyball players to record 500+ kills in a single season.
• The match included 16 ties and eight lead changes.
• Drake's season ended with a record of 30-8, a new program-best win total.
• Both teams were stellar at the net with a combined 23 blocks.
• The Bulldogs' 61 kills were their second-most in a four-set match this season.
• Mariana Rodrigues and Haley Bush were named to the NIVC All-Tournament team.
• Rodrigues led the match with 22 kills.
• Freshman Addison Beagle posted 51 assists, tying her third-highest output in a four-set match this season.
• Kacie Rewerts led the Bulldogs with seven blocks while BC's Kate Brennan led the match with eight.
• Boston College's Kate Brennan, Alayna Crabtree, and Silvia Ianeselli represented the Eagles on the All-Tournament team. Ianeselli earned the tournament's MVP award.
• Wednesday's match was the first-ever meeting between Drake and Boston College.
• 1,341 fans packed the Knapp Center in the highest-attended home volleyball match in arena history.
• Addison Beagle set the new program record for single-season assists (1,613)