DES MOINES, Iowa – Drake volleyball (14-7, 7-2) suffered just their second home loss of the season this evening as the MVC-leading UNI Panthers (15-6, 9-0) earned a 3-1 victory. The Panthers needed four sets to beat the Bulldogs in front a raucous 1,807 fans, the most in Drake volleyball history.
 
Both defenses came out of the gate hot as the two teams combined for eight blocks in the first set. Drake got the scoring started with back-to-back Kacie Rewerts rejections, one of which was assisted by Taylor Oberpriller. The energy continued to the offensive end as Drake opened a 4-0 lead in the initial stages.
 
UNI rebounded and quickly got right back in it as both teams maneuvered their way through the opening period. The Bulldogs built a lead as wide as five at 21-16 before the Panthers were able rally with a 5-0 spurt and tie the set score. An Emily Holterhaus kill sparked the rest of UNI's 9-0 run to close out their set one win.
 
It was Drake's turn to mount a comeback in the second set and they did just in the early stages of the period. UNI jumped out to a narrow lead and maintained that advantage until Macy Daufeldt and Ashlynn Kuhn went back-to-back with Drake's only service ace of the match and a kill to even the score at 9-all.
 
Despite persistent pressure from the hosts, the Panthers promptly retook the lead and never relinquished it as they eventually secured the 2-0 match lead with a 25-19 win in the second set.
 
UNI again inched in front to start the third frame before another Bulldog comeback attempt. Trailing 11-9, Drake rattled off three-straight scores bookended by kills from Haley Bush and Daufeldt to take a 12-11 lead, their first since the opening game.
 
The two squads traded blows down the stretch of the third set. The Bulldogs made enough plays in the clutch to close out the 25-23 third set and get on the board in the match.
 
The Bulldogs carried the momentum from the third set win into the fourth frame as they built an 11-8 lead and forced UNI head coach Bobbi Petersen to burn a timeout. The Panthers again retaliated with another short run of their own and got back in front, this time for good. Drake challenged until the last few points as UNI completed the fourth set 25-22 for the 3-1 match win.
 
Haley Bush led Drake with 15 kills followed by Macy Daufeldt's 14. Daufeldt also added a career-high 15 digs and scored Drake's only service ace of the match. Kacie Rewerts made six blocks to lead Drake and Jada Wills played well defensively with a team-high 18 digs. Madison Geise shattered her previous career high with 30 assists for the Bulldogs.
 
"UNI is a really good program," Drake head coach Darrin McBroom said. "They came here to win and found a way to do that despite some of our best efforts. We came in with a good game plan and [in the] first set people saw what was going on there…we were rolling. We stumbled at the end and that was unfortunate. UNI really turned it on…we had a tough time regaining composure. We played a little bit too passive after that first set and never really gained the momentum back."
 
Drake will hit the road next for a pair of matches away from Des Moines before a four-game homestand the following two weeks. The Bulldogs are prepared for a trip to Murray State on Friday, Oct. 20 followed by a visit to Nashville for a bout with Belmont on Saturday, Oct. 21.
 

NOTES

• Tonight's match broke the all-time Drake volleyball record for attendance with 1,807 spectators, eclipsing the mark set in last year's NIVC title match.
• Drake is now 3-2 at home this season.
• Macy Daufeldt posted a double-double with 14 kills and a career-high 15 digs.
• Madison Geise also set a new career high with 30 assists.
• Haley Bush is second all-time on Drake's all-time kills list with 1,562.