Drake women’s volleyball opened the season with a 3-3 record through its first six matches. At the 305 Challenge in Florida, the Bulldogs fell to Miami in straight sets before bouncing back with a sweep of North Texas and a five-set win over Florida International.
The Bulldogs traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska on Friday to play Grand Canyon University and Utah University at the Husker Invitational. In anticipation of the weekend, players said they were in high spirits, but also fully aware of the tough competition.
“We can’t get down on ourselves. GCU is quite similar to us, making it a competitive match, and I believe it will be an exciting game,” sophomore middle blocker Bliss Beck said before the game in an email interview. “It’s also a great opportunity to compete against a team like Utah, which is ranked No. 22 in the nation.”
The match against Grand Canyon may not have resulted in a win, but the Bulldogs played competitively and took the match to five sets. Each set featured point gaps that Drake battled back from, highlighted by senior setter Addison Beagle’s seven-point serving run in the fourth set. Senior outside hitter Macy Daufeldt and graduate outside hitter Kacia Brown paced the offense with 14 kills apiece, while sophomore middle blocker Bliss Beck anchored the net with seven blocks. Beagle also recorded 24 assists, and senior libero Gabbie Schroeder steadied the defense with 20 digs.
“What has impressed me so far is our resilience. We have already played several five-set matches this season, and even if we haven’t won, we have been very close, showing our determination,” said Beck in an email interview.
The quick turnaround left little recovery time before taking on No. 22 Utah the following day, where they lost in three sets. Daufeldt led Drake with 11 kills and also contributed two blocks, tying with freshman outside hitter Caroline Smith and senior right-side/middle blocker Aniyah Davis for the team lead. Sophomore setter Carolyn Maser paced the offense with 12 assists, and senior libero Gabbie Schroeder anchored the back row with 13 digs.
Following the weekend, the team’s focus moving forward is to find consistency and build cohesiveness, according to Daufeldt.
“So far this year, what’s stood out to me is the depth and versatility all of our girls have!” said Daufeldt in an email interview.
This weekend, the Bulldogs will compete at the South Dakota Classic with matches Thursday through Saturday against Wichita State University, Villanova University and the University of South Dakota.
