EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Drake volleyball team return to action for a doubleheader from the Kathy DeBoer Invitational Presented by Auto-Owners Insurance on Friday and the Bulldogs fell in both contests to Wright State and Michigan State to close out the non-conference season.
AGAINST WRIGHT STATE
The Bulldogs trailed early on in the first set against the Raiders as a 5-0 run propelled Wright State to a 9-4 advantage. Drake's deficit was doubled moments later as it fell behind, 14-7, after a
Lisa Melenciano kill. Drake started to chip away at Wright State's lead using a 3-0 scoring spurt, capped by a combination block from
Bliss Beck and
Kamryn Behrns, to cut the score to 20-15, but the Raiders countered with a 3-0 to close out the frame, 25-17.
Set two was controlled by the Raiders from start to finish. Wright State ripped off near back-to-back 3-0 scoring runs to gain a 8-2 lead in the early goings, but it was a 6-0 run that put the Bulldogs in a 16-4 hole just after the media timeout. Drake managed to score just five more points from that moment on and dropped the set, 25-9.
The Bulldogs put up their best fight in the third set and took a 7-4 lead to start it off getting two kills from
Caroline Smith over a three-point run. Drake then had its largest lead at 15-9 following a 4-0 scoring streak. The momentum flipped, however, after the media timeout and Wright State stormed back to tie the set at 18-18. The two sides went on to trade points until the Bulldogs went up one, 24-23, getting another kill from Smith, but the Raiders delivered a final counter punch with a 3-0 streak to steal the set, 26-24, and end the match.
Melenciano and Smith shared the top-scoring mark for Drake as the pair both notched eight kills in the match.
Katie Quick and
Carolyn Maser both reached double digits for assists with 16 and 12, respectfully. Meanwhile,
Jasmine Dulan led the defensive efforts with 27 digs.
AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE
The first set saw the Bulldogs grab the early lead over the Spartans as Drake took advantage of a multitude of unforced service errors from Michigan State for an 8-6 lead. Drake's lead was then stretched to 13-8 off a 4-0 scoring run with a
Katie Quick service ace and combo block by
Aniyah Davis and
Lisa Melenciano. After the media timeout, however, Michigan State battled back and took the lead from Drake. The Spartans first trimmed the Bulldog lead down to 15-12 with a 3-0 run and then jumped ahead 20-18 with a 5-0 run. Down the stretch, MSU won four of the final six points to claim the frame, 25-22.
Michigan State got out to a 5-1 start in set two to put the Bulldogs in an early deficit, but Drake made a bit of a dent with a
Jasmine Dulan service ace to pull within three at the 10-7 mark. The Spartans separated away from the Bulldogs through the middle stages of the set though with a 7-0 run that put the score at 19-9. Five of the final six points were then scored by the Spartans to close it out, 25-13.
It was another fast start by the Spartans in the third set doubling up the Bulldogs 8-4 before a 7-1 run set the Bulldogs back 15-6 at the media timeout. MSU remained in control the rest of the frame and ended the match on a 5-0 run for another 25-13 set win.
Melenciano led the Bulldogs with nine kills in the contest, while Smith was next in line at seven kills.
Katie Quick dished out 15 assists in the match and Dulan led the team with 11 digs.
"It was a tough night and a tough week for the Bulldogs," Drake head coach
Darrin McBroom said. "Definitely there are some things we need to improve on and clean up as we head into conference play. There are also some really good things that we can begin to build on and I think we're on the right track in many areas."
Drake will be back on the court for its first conference game of the season as it hosts UNI from the Knapp Center on Tuesday, Sep. 22. First serve against the in-state rival Panthers is scheduled for 6 p.m.
