Story by Ashley Beall

Photo by Joel Venzke

The Drake University volleyball team fell to Bradley this Sunday, losing three straight sets, 25-20, 25-12 and 25-23.

Junior Amanda Platte led the Bulldogs with 12 kills, six digs and two blocks.

Freshman Tegan LaBerge also stepped up for the Bulldogs with five kills, two digs and one block.

In the first set, the Bulldogs took an early lead, 10-6.

However, the lead didn’t last long as the Braves fought back and took a 15-13 lead. This forced Drake to take a timeout and was followed by an error, which cut the score down to 20-17, giving the Bulldogs a chance to come back.

However, Bradley ultimately pulled away from Drake, winning the set 25-20.

“It’s hard to pinpoint one thing that the team struggled on overall,” Platte said. “At times, there were moments of brilliance on the court, and at times it seemed like nothing could go right. If I had to pick one thing, it would be that the team struggled with being consistent.”

Leading the Braves was Alise Tupuritis who had a double-double with 12 kills and 11 digs. Tupuritis led the Braves with a .248 hitting percentage and seven team aces.

Kristi Chynoweth also had 10 kills for the Braves.

Bradley dominated Drake in set two of the game as the Bulldogs struggled to get into the game.

The Braves had 11 kills and only two attack errors, while the Bulldogs only had six kills and had nine attack errors.

The third set was no different for the Braves, as they took the early lead, 5-0.

Sophomore Katie Allen hit a kill, which stalled the Braves run, but it wasn’t enough. The Bulldogs were able to maintain a fairly close game the rest of the set but ultimately lost 25-22.

“I think, overall, our team struggled with getting into a rhythm and being able to gain the momentum we need to succeed,” Allen said. “I think our team learned a lot from this past weekend. I believe this was a weekend where none of us want to ever repeat in the future.”

The Bulldogs have yet to win in conference play and are struggling to find their groove.

“After losing so many games, you start to have self-doubt, and I think everyone could use a confidence booster to help us win the next game,” Platte said.

The Bulldogs faced Nebraska-Omaha yesterday at Knapp Center at 7:00 p.m. Results from that match will be available in the next issue of The Times-Delphic.