September 30, 20231st2nd3rd4thFinal
Valparaiso202714161
Drake252525253
VALPOTeam StatsDRA
0.076Hitting Pct.0.214
44Kills55
30Errors21
185Total Attacks159
40Assists54
0Aces6
71Digs96
8Blocks10
VALPOLeadersDRA
Swistek - 11
KillsOberpriller - 22
Bulmahn - 17
AssistsBeagle - 31
AcesWills - 2
Daufeldt - 2
Hickey - 28
DigsWills - 39
Januski - 5
BlocksRewerts - 7
BoxscorePlay-by-Play
Volleyball Drops Four-Set Decision at Drake
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Volleyball Drops Four-Set Decision at Drake
Elise Swistek had her fourth double-double of the season Saturday.

The Valpo volleyball team fought into extra points to earn a set two win and even its match at Drake Saturday evening at one set apiece before the host Bulldogs took the final two frames as the Beacons fell 3-1 (20-25, 27-25, 14-25, 16-25).

How It Happened

  • Trailing 10-8 in the opening set, two kills apiece from fifth-year outside Bella Ravotto (Mishawaka, Ind./Marian) and fifth-year middle Miranda Strongman (Wolverine Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Central [LIU]) were part of a 7-2 run which gave the Beacons a 15-12 lead at the media timeout.
  • The Bulldogs went on a 5-1 spurt out of the stoppage, however, and Valpo never led outright again as Drake scored 13 of the set’s final 18 points to take the opener.
  • Valpo gained control of the second set in the middle stages and extended its lead to as many as five points. But a 21-16 edge turned into just a one-point lead at 23-22 as Drake reeled off six out of eight points.
  • A kill from senior Mallory Januski (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) gave the Beacons set point at 24-22, but the Bulldogs held off both set point chances and earned a set point of their own with their third straight point to pull ahead, 25-24.
  • Another Januski kill extended the set, however, and Ravotto followed by coming up with terminations on consecutive points to level the match at one set apiece.
  • An early 8-2 run gave Drake control of set three, and the Bulldogs’ lead was at least three points the rest of the way that frame.
  • Valpo was within one point at 9-8 in set four before Drake scored seven in a row to take control and finish off the match.

Inside the Match

  • Drake limited Valpo to .076 hitting on Saturday, the Beacons’ third-worst hitting percentage of the season.
  • Junior Elise Swistek (LaPorte, Ind./New Prairie) posted her fourth double-double of the year with 17 digs and a team-high 11 kills.
  • Senior Victoria Bulmahn (McCordsville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) handed out a team-best 17 assists.
  • Sophomore Emma Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) led the Beacons with 28 digs
  • Januski matched her season high and led Valpo with five blocks.

Next Up

Valpo (10-8, 2-3 MVC) returns home to the friendly confines of the ARC next weekend, beginning with a Friday night match against Illinois State at 6 p.m. which can be seen live on ESPN+.