The Basics
Drake women's tennis will be looking to bounce back with a pair of challenging tests in the Missouri Valley Conference this week. The Bulldogs are set to host Belmont (Feb. 5) before visiting Illinois State (Feb. 7) to open the season series with the Redbirds.
 
Bulldog Breakdown
The Bulldogs are currently on a 3-game losing streak including a 66-56 defeat to rival UNI last weekend. Drake held on to a second half lead but surrendered their advantage as Ryley Goebel's triple double doomed the Dogs.
 
Drake's first-year phenom Anna Becker earned her third Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week award this week after averaging 17.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists for the Dogs.
 
In Drake's recent game vs. Murray State, senior guard Abbie Aalsma hit a personal milestone by scoring her 1,000th career point. Aalsma has scored 1,008 points in her career with 640 coming as a Bulldog. Aalsma is the only Bulldog in the top 20 among MVC scorers this season. She leads Drake with 15.4 ppg, good enough for eighth in the MVC.
 
Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman is nearing a personal milestone of her own. Pohlman is just one win away from 100 for her career. She is looking to become the seventh coach in program history to reach triple digit wins. The others are Lisa Bluder (884), Lisa Stone (697), Amy Stephens (348), Susan Yow (345), Jennie Baranczyk (310), and Carole Baumgarten (258).
 
Drake currently leads the league in a pair of rebounding stats, as well as distributions. The Bulldogs keep their opponents off the boards at the best rate in the MVC while boasting the top rebounding margin in the conference. Drake also dishes out the most assists per game in The Valley.
 
Key Players
Abbie Aalsma | 15.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.7 apg
Anna Becker | 10.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.0 apg
Grace Knutson | 10.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.8 apg
 
Scouting Belmont
The Belmont Bruins enter this week's action alone in second place at 12-9 overall and 8-2 in MVC play. Both Belmont losses have come to league leader Murray State including one in their last time out. The Bruins' most recent win came on Jan. 29 in a 79-73 overtime victory over Evansville.
 
Drake leads the all-time series with Belmont by a 5-3 margin. Belmont won the most recent meeting with a 78-69 result in Nashville earlier this season. The Bruins have won two of the last three including a Drake home game last January. The Bulldogs are averaging 78.5 points per game against Belmont. Drake is looking to improve upon its 2-1 record against the Bruins in Des Moines.
 
Belmont is led by ninth year head coach Bart Brooks, who has amassed a record of 210-77 while leading the Bruins.
 
Key Players
Hillary Fuller | 14.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.4 bpg
Avery Strickland | 12.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.6 apg
Tuti Jones | 9.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.0 apg
 
Scouting Illinois State
Illinois State has been playing some good ball of late with three consecutive wins to its credit. The Redbirds are currently 13-9 overall and 7-4 in MVC play. Their recent wins have come over Indiana State, UNI, and Bradley in overtime while the Redbirds' last loss was a 76-64 defeat at UIC on Jan. 22.
 
Drake owns a 55-40 all-time advantage against Illinois State. The Bulldogs have won the last four meetings with the most recent battle coming at last year's MVC Tournament. The Bulldogs are 19-26 all-time when playing in Normal and average 70.6 points per game against the Redbirds.
 
Kristen Gillespie is in her 15th year as a head coach and ninth at Illinois State. Gillespie has built a total record of 274-169, including two previous stops at Benedictine and Lewis, plus a 169-104 mark as a Redbird.
 
Key Players
Doneelah Washington | 16.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 2.3 spg
Addison Martin | 12.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.2 apg
Trista Fayta | 10.6 ppg, 5.4 apg, 4.2 rpg
 
Up Next
The Bulldogs will tip off a 3-game homestand on Valentine's Day (Feb. 14) with a game
against Indiana State before Valparaiso makes the trip to Des Moines (Feb. 19).