OUTSIDE HITTER EMILY MADDEN (AS,J4) spikes the ball as two Missouri State defenders jump for the block. Photo: Sarah Andrews

Drake volleyball will take on some tough teams in the next few weeks.

Opponents will have something to be nervous about, as they face Drake and its seven consecutive wins record.

The wins started at the Knapp Center on Oct. 7, as Drake beat South Dakota State 3-0.

Drake then beat its Missouri Valley Conference rival Creighton 3-1 to achieve a 13-win season – something the Bulldogs haven’t seen since 1998.

Moving on to Southern Illinois, Drake faced a tough team and a record-setting crowd.

“The noise in the gym brought an extra bit of electricity to the match,” Head Coach Phil McDaniel said.

Fighting hard, Angela Bys (E3) led the team with 14 kills and Alana Wittenburg (AS3) contributed an impressive 19 digs.

Despite a tough loss by the score of 14-25 in the second set, the team went on to win the match 3-1.

“It was kind of fun when we won to hear the silence in the gym,” Chelsea Lauersdorf (J4) said of the previously loud crowd.

Drake continued on the road at Evansville Oct. 17.

After Drake won a tough second set 30-28, Evansville slipped in the third set, committing 14 errors. Drake won it decisively 25-16 to beat the Bulldogs’ conference opponents 3-0.

“Our defense at Evansville was the sharpest I have seen in my time here,” McDaniel said. “Seventeen blocks in three sets is outstanding. We played well above that net that night.”

The team ended its road trip at Western Illinois on Oct. 20. Lauersdorf helped out with 26 assists to help the team gain another 3-0 victory.

Finally, back home at the Knapp Center on Oct. 23, the volleyball team played a critical match. If they beat Indiana State, it would ensure the first winning season for the Bulldogs since 1996.

Winning decisively in the first two sets, Drake lost the third set closely at 23-25. In the fourth set, Drake found itself tied 20-20 until a key kill by Bys pushed the team forward to a 25-21 win.

Winning the match 3-1, the team secured a winning record – something the Drake volleyball team hasn’t seen in 13 years.

The team was not ready to stop there, though. Facing Illinois State on Oct. 24, the Bulldogs knew what they were facing.

“They are a solid defensive team,” McDaniel said.

Wittenburg was ready, though, and made an impressive 24 digs. That night, she passed the 1,456 dig mark, breaking the previous Drake record as a junior.

“It reflects her hard work and dedication to the program,” McDaniel said

Wittenburg’s digs helped push the team to a 3-2 victory over Illinois State. Bys said that dominating the fifth game against Illinois State was one of the highlights of the seven-game streak she remembered best.

Drake’s assets showed through in its play during the season to date.

“Our defensive focus has really been highlighted in our recent wins,” McDaniel said. “Both blocking and defensive intensity in the back row have given the team the advantage in those matches.”

Teammates notice their strong defense and cite other strengths too.

“We have perseverance when things aren’t going our way,” Lauersdorf said. “This year’s team knows how to come together and pull through.”

Wins aren’t the only thing moving up this season.

“Our blocking, hitting percentage and our number of kills per game has continued to increase,” Bys said.

These factors seem to be moving Drake on its way to the team’s goal for the end of the season. McDaniel said that the team is not focused on its winning streak and does not feel nervous for what’s to come.

“We are looking forward to earning the right to play in the conference tournament,” Bys said.