DES MOINES, Iowa - The Drake volleyball team reached a new plateau, winning its 13th game of the season with a 3-1 (25-18, 15-25, 26-24, 25-21) victory over Missouri Valley Conference rival Creighton. The last time a Bulldog club reached the 13-win mark was when the 1998 squad went 13-14.
It marked the first win against the Bluejays since the 2006 campaign.
"I thought we did a great job tonight," said second-year head coach Phil McDaniel. "Creighton is a strong team but our defense and strong net play put us over the top tonight."
Drake jumped out to a 13-4 lead in the first game fueled by kills from five different players. Creighton came within five at 20-15 off a service error by senior defensive specialist Lindsay Schryver (Williams Bay, Wis./Williams Bay). The Bulldogs finished the final five points on two Creighton attack errors, two kills from sophomore middle blocker Michelle Reidy (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert Catholic) and one kill from redshirt sophomore Mikayla Sims (Waterloo, Iowa/East).
With game two tied at 6-6, Creighton went on an 11-3 run for a 17-9 advantage. The Bluejays held the lead for the 25-15 victory.
Drake had a 12-7 lead in the third game before Creighton went on a 10-5 run to tie things up at 17-17. A 4-1 run behind two kills from junior outside hitter Angela Bys (Marion, Iowa/Marion) and Reidy put the Bulldogs up 24-22. The game was again tied at 24 after an attack error by senior outside hitter Emily Madden (Van Meter, Iowa/Adel DeSoto Minburn). Two Creighton attack errors to end the game gave Drake the third set.
After a lot of back and forth in the fourth game, Drake scored the final five points of the night off of a Madden kill, blocks by Sims-Reidy and Reidy-Bys and a Bluejay attack error.
Bys, coming off her record-setting performance against South Dakota State, led Drake with 16 kills. Reidy added nine kills, followed by junior outside hitter Alisa DeBerg Roth (Hudson, Iowa/Hudson) and Madden with six kills apiece.
Senior setter Chelsea Lauersdorf (Watertown, Wis./Watertown) paced the Bulldogs with 30 assists, while sophomore Caitlin Johnson (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore Community) added nine.
Junior libero Alana Wittenburg (Readlyn, Iowa/Wapsie Valley) had another double-digit dig performance with a team-leading 27, followed by Madden with 12.
The Bulldogs collected eight team blocks led by Reidy with four and redshirt freshman Emily Heffernen (Manchester, Iowa/West Delaware) with three.
"This was a great team effort tonight," stated McDaniel. "We were disciplined on defense and we spread the offense around very efficiently."
Creighton was paced by Allie Oelke with 15 kills and 11 digs.
Drake travels to Southern Illinois for a 7 p.m. match up with the Salukis Friday (Oct. 16).
It marked the first win against the Bluejays since the 2006 campaign.
"I thought we did a great job tonight," said second-year head coach Phil McDaniel. "Creighton is a strong team but our defense and strong net play put us over the top tonight."
Drake jumped out to a 13-4 lead in the first game fueled by kills from five different players. Creighton came within five at 20-15 off a service error by senior defensive specialist Lindsay Schryver (Williams Bay, Wis./Williams Bay). The Bulldogs finished the final five points on two Creighton attack errors, two kills from sophomore middle blocker Michelle Reidy (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert Catholic) and one kill from redshirt sophomore Mikayla Sims (Waterloo, Iowa/East).
With game two tied at 6-6, Creighton went on an 11-3 run for a 17-9 advantage. The Bluejays held the lead for the 25-15 victory.
Drake had a 12-7 lead in the third game before Creighton went on a 10-5 run to tie things up at 17-17. A 4-1 run behind two kills from junior outside hitter Angela Bys (Marion, Iowa/Marion) and Reidy put the Bulldogs up 24-22. The game was again tied at 24 after an attack error by senior outside hitter Emily Madden (Van Meter, Iowa/Adel DeSoto Minburn). Two Creighton attack errors to end the game gave Drake the third set.
After a lot of back and forth in the fourth game, Drake scored the final five points of the night off of a Madden kill, blocks by Sims-Reidy and Reidy-Bys and a Bluejay attack error.
Bys, coming off her record-setting performance against South Dakota State, led Drake with 16 kills. Reidy added nine kills, followed by junior outside hitter Alisa DeBerg Roth (Hudson, Iowa/Hudson) and Madden with six kills apiece.
Senior setter Chelsea Lauersdorf (Watertown, Wis./Watertown) paced the Bulldogs with 30 assists, while sophomore Caitlin Johnson (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore Community) added nine.
Junior libero Alana Wittenburg (Readlyn, Iowa/Wapsie Valley) had another double-digit dig performance with a team-leading 27, followed by Madden with 12.
The Bulldogs collected eight team blocks led by Reidy with four and redshirt freshman Emily Heffernen (Manchester, Iowa/West Delaware) with three.
"This was a great team effort tonight," stated McDaniel. "We were disciplined on defense and we spread the offense around very efficiently."
Creighton was paced by Allie Oelke with 15 kills and 11 digs.
Drake travels to Southern Illinois for a 7 p.m. match up with the Salukis Friday (Oct. 16).
