AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Drake University volleyball team soundly defeated Texas A&M-Commerce in four sets before dropping a five-set battle to host Air Force in the Amy Svoboda Memorial Classic finale at Cadet East Gym on Saturday, Aug. 27. Outside hitter Mariana Rodrigues totaled 44 kills over the two matches.
 
"There were a lot of positive things this weekend," head coach Darrin McBroom said. "We had freshmen on the court in many instances. Rodrigues was incredible, and Addison Beagle ran the offense very well. We came to win the tournament. We were up in the last two sets with chances to finish it out and couldn't get it done."
 
Drake 3, Texas A&M-Commerce 1
With the Bulldogs leading, 11-8, Beagle took over serving duties and placed a service ace to extend the Drake advantage to 14-8. Fellow freshman Macy Daufeldt delivered back-to-back kills as the Bulldogs maintained a 19-13 lead in the opening set. 
 
Kacie Rewerts dialed in a laser past two diving Lions to seal set one for Drake, 25-17. 
 
Texas A&M-Commerce started the second set with a 3-0 spurt, but a kill by Macy DeLeye and a Lion attacking error tied the set, 7-7. The Lions grabbed the lead back and did not give it back as they claimed set two, 25-22. 
 
Drake led the third set, 16-14, when Daufeldt went another serving run capped by a Rodrigues kill to push the Bulldogs ahead by six points (20-14). Rodrigues' attack at set point overpowered TAMUC to secure set three, 25-16, and put Drake in control of the match. 
 
The fourth set was back-and-forth until Taylor Oberpriller found the floor for a 14-12 edge. Ultimately, a long return by Texas A&M-Commerce ended the set (25-21) and the match. 
 
Rodrigues led the way with a match-high 20 kills followed by Daufeldt with 15 kills of her own. Macy DeLeye had 7 blocks and 7 kills. At libero, Jada Wills was there for 16 digs as Beagle dished out 45 assists. 
 
Air Force 3, Drake 2
Several errors by the Falcons aided Drake to an early 9-2 lead in the opening set. Beagle found Rodrigues on a cross court pass that the Brazilian hammered for a 15-6 advantage. The Bulldogs cruised to a 25-19 first set victory.  
 
Air Force responded with steady play in set two as the Falcons took the game, 25-20 after a clinching kill by Aaryn Scires. 
 
Rodrigues slammed down one of her 24 kills to put Drake ahead 12-7 in set three. More attacking errors committed by Air Force helped the Bulldogs. Rewerts hit the ball down the middle past a diving Falcon as the Bulldogs took the third set, 25-21.
With the fourth set knotted 23-23, Haley Bush's kill brought up match point. The Falcons dug in and snagged a 25-24 lead. Ashlynn Kuhn tied the set up again at 25, before Air Force won the gritty battle (27-25) to force a fifth and final set. 
 
The Bulldogs trailed 5-4 in set five before rattling off six consecutive points to lead 10-5 in the deciding set. Drake led 13-10, but Air Force scored the final five points of the match to complete the comeback. 
 
Rodrigues once again led the match in kills (24). Bush had 20 kills to pair with 11 digs. Wills finished with 18 digs and Beagle distributed her collegiate best of 55 assists. 
 
Drake volleyball will travel to Indianapolis Sept. 2-3 for the Hampton Inn Invitational hosted by IUPUI.  
 
NOTES

• Mariana Rodrigues and Addison Beagle were both named to the Amy Svoboda Memorial Classic All-Tournament Team.
• Rodrigues registered 24 kills against Air Force, which is her most in a Drake uniform.
• Haley Bush recorded 20 or more kills for the 12^th time in her career. 
• Rodrigues turned in a .259 hitting percentage over the weekend.
• Jada Wills had a season-high 18 digs in the Air Force match.