The Basics
The postseason stage is set for the Bulldogs, as they'll square off against the number four seed Belmont Bruins on Friday, April 26 at 11 a.m. in Nashville, Tennessee in the MVC quarterfinals round. If Drake defeats Belmont, they will advance to play in the semifinal match against the number one seed Murray State on Saturday, April 27 at 1 p.m.
 
Bulldogs by the Numbers
The Bulldogs persevered through injuries throughout the season to finish with an 8-12 record, going 4-4 in MVC play and earning the number five seed in the conference tournament. Drake is on a two-game losing streak ahead of tournament play. Their last loss was against their quarterfinal opponent, Belmont, at home on Sunday, April 21. The Bulldogs were knotted up at 2-2 at one point in the match but ended up losing 5-2.
 
Ines Stephani, the reigning MVC Player of the Year, is the top singles player for the Bulldogs. She finished her 2024 regular season campaign with a 15-3 singles record and three MVC Player of the Week awards. Stephani is currently on a hot streak, having won back-to-back MVC Singles Player of the Week awards. Her three singles victories in the past two weeks were all straight-set wins.
 
Mille Haagensen is also a fearsome singles opponent for Drake. She competes in the second singles spot and has accumulated a team-high 16 singles victories in 2024. Haagensen went undefeated against MVC opponents in the regular season, and she's on a nine-game win streak.
 
Stephani and Rebecca Ehn team up to compete in the first doubles spot for the Bulldogs, and they went 8-6 on the season. In January, they won MVC Doubles Team of the Week.
 
Scouting the Competition
After defeating Drake last weekend, Belmont finished with a 12-9 record, going 5-3 in the MVC. The Bruins will enter the playoffs on a two-game win streak, having secured wins against UNI and Drake on the Saturday and Sunday before the playoffs.
 
Sophomore Mariia Hlahola competed in the top singles position for Belmont against Drake last Sunday. Hlahola won two MVC Singles Player of the Week awards this season, as she's pieced together a strong season for the Bruins. Stephani downed Hlahola in straight sets when the two faced in the final regular season affair. Hlahola and Anastasiya Zholdakova slotted in the first doubles spot against the Bulldogs on Sunday. The Bruins duo defeated the Bulldog duet 6-4 to hand the doubles point to Belmont.
 
The Bulldogs' loss to Belmont last weekend was the first time Belmont women's tennis has downed Drake. Belmont joined the MVC in 2022, so the two teams have only played each other three times, and Drake holds a 2-1 advantage in those meetings.
 
Up Next
If the Bulldogs win, they will advance to the semifinal matchup against Murray State on Saturday, April 27 at 1 p.m.