VALPARAISO, Ind. – The Drake volleyball team suffered a loss in its first Missouri Valley Conference match of the season on Friday night at the hands of the Valparaiso Beacons by a mark of three sets to one.
 
In the first set there was plenty of back-and-forth action between the Bulldogs and the Beacons as the two sides came together at 10-10 after a score from Lisa Melenciano. After trading the next few points, Drake went up by two, 16-14, as Emaline Handzel recorded a service ace immediately following the media timeout. The Beacons countered, however, with a 4-0 scoring streak to jump in front, 18-16, and force a timeout from the Bulldogs. Drake never regained the lead from there and a 3-0 scoring run by Valpo ended the set, 25-19.
 
The second set played out very similar to the first with Drake and Valpo matching each other early on and coming to a draw at the 9-9 mark. Just like in the first set too, Drake found itself with a lead at the media timeout after a 3-0 personal run from Caroline Smith. After the break, however, Valpo responded again with a 4-0 run to take over the lead, 16-15. Shortly after, the Beacons went on a 6-0 scoring streak to gain some separation from the Bulldogs, 22-17, and used that momentum to close out the frame, 25-19.
 
Needing a set win to avoid a sweep, the Bulldogs came out aggressive in the third and took an early 10-5 lead. Valpo then chipped away at Drake's lead and eventually pulled within two at 12-10, which caused the Bulldogs to call for a timeout. Out of the break, Drake went back to work with an immediate answer using a 5-0 run, highlighted by a solo block from Aniyah Davis and a tag team block by Davis and Smith, to extend their lead to 17-10. Another 4-0 run moments later from Drake propelled them to a 23-11 lead, which turned into a 25-14 set victory with a finishing kill from Bliss Beck.
 
Drake and Valpo went back at it in the fourth set matching each other on the scoreboard 6-6 and then later at 12-12 in the early goings. Just past the halfway mark, it was the Beacons who started to separate away from the Bulldogs behind a 4-0 scoring run to make the score 17-14. Valpo then really gained the upper hand with a 6-0 to give it match point at 24-16. The Bulldogs managed to score three straight points in hopes of completing a comeback, but in the end Valpo claimed the set, 25-19, and the match 3-1.
 
Smith proved to be the offensive leader for Drake racking up a team-high 14 kills on the night. Macy Daufeldt, meanwhile, recorded a double-double with 10 kills and a team-high 20 digs. The senior also etched herself into the Drake record books by eclipsing 1,000 career kills. Davis on the defensive side matched her career high with eight total blocks and Addison Beagle and Katie Quick dished out eight and 11 assists, respectfully.
 
The Bulldogs return to the court tomorrow evening as they make the trek over to Chicago to challenge the UIC Flames. First serve is slated for 5 p.m. CT.