With a loss on Nov. 4 to the University of Iowa to break the nine-game winning streak, the Drake University volleyball team is just three games away from postseason play.
The Bulldogs lost against a variety of teams at the beginning of the season, including the University of Miami, Wichita State University and the number 22-ranked team at the time, the University of Utah.
Then, they started off their conference play against Valparaiso University, the University of Illinois Chicago and the University of Northern Iowa. They lost to all three, ending October with an overall record of 4-10 and a conference record of 0-3.
“Certainly we got off to a slower start this season than we would’ve liked,” head coach Darrin McBroom said in an email interview. “We played the most challenging schedule of anyone in our conference, and then we opened conference play against the top three teams in the league.”
Four players have played in all 25 games this season, including middle blockers Bliss Beck and Aniyah Davis, who lead the team in total blocks.
“We’ve done some switching around to try to figure out what the most beneficial lineup is, but now I think we’ve gotten into a groove,” said Davis in an email interview.
Outside hitters Macy Daufeldt and Caroline Smith played every game. Daufeldt leads the team in kills and digs, and Smith was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week for the week of Oct. 27-Nov. 2.
Smith helped the Bulldogs extend their winning streak with wins over Southern Illinois University and Belmont University. She had 22 kills on the week, having 12 against Belmont; a team high for the season.
“There are moments when we play at a really high level, and others where we dip, so consistency is key. The goal is to peak at the right time and play our best by the end of the season… We’ve put in the work, and now it’s showing. The goal hasn’t changed — we want the championship, and we’re ready to fight for it,” libero Gabbie Schroeder said.
As the season progresses they are showing improvements, having more than 44 kills in every game since Sept. 30, as well as comparing both times they played UNI.
While both games resulted in a loss, the second time that the Bulldogs played UNI, they had a .170 hitting percentage compared to a .075, as well as 15 more kills, 18 more assists and scored 14 more points.
“We will likely finish in third or fourth at this point. Our ambition would be to win in the semis and compete for the conference tournament championship. We have the capability, we just need to put it all together,” said McBroom.
The Bulldogs have made it to the semi-finals in the past three years and are hoping to make it four this year. In 2022 and 2023, they advanced to the finals, falling short to UNI in five sets both times. Their next match is Nov. 14 against the University of Evansville Aces in Evansville.
