PULLMAN, Wash. – Bulldog volleyball (2-4) shut down the Lady Demons of Northwestern State (0-7) to close play at the Cougar Challenge. Drake earned their second sweep of the weekend.
The Bulldogs got going early and often this evening, building an 8-1 lead right out of the gate. Drake led by as many as eight points in the opening set before the Lady Demons were able to find some momentum. Despite the late push, the Bulldogs outscored NSU 4-0 down the stretch with three errors and a
Macy Daufeldt kill to take the lead in the match.
Set 2 saw much of the same as the Bulldogs were able to build an early lead. Northwestern State was able to hang around, though, and kept within two of Drake for much of the period. Drake's advantage was still too wide, and
Haley Bush slammed home the winning kill to take the second-straight 25-20 set.
Drake again gained an early lead in the third set and never trailed in final frame. The Bulldogs' lead ballooned to double digits before a late flurry from the Lady Demons cut into the gap. Another Bulldog kill, this time from
Macy DeLeye, provided the final blow as
Darrin McBroom's squad earned their second win of the season.
Taylor Oberpriller's 11 kills led all players while Daufeldt added 10 of her own. A pair of Bulldogs logged double digit assists led by
Addison Beagle's 25 and
Madison Geise's 12. Defensively,
Jada Wills collected 19 digs and
Ashlynn Kuhn topped the Drake roster with two blocks in her first start of the season.
Daufeldt and Wills both earned All-Tournament honors for their efforts over the weekend.
"It was good to pick up another win on this road trip," McBroom said following the match. "We were able to get a lot of players in the lineup to see what they could do. Our players did what they needed to do to get it done in three. We have a short week ahead…then we'll be back at again in a few days."
Drake will return to the Midwest next weekend as their non-conference schedule continues. The Bulldogs will head to Vermillion, S.D. for three more matches at the South Dakota Classic.
