SIU volleyball lost their 11th-straight match, this time to Drake in four sets on March 22 in Des Moines.

Drake was led by sophomore outside hitter Haley Bush, who finished the match with 23 kills and 27 digs.

In the first set, the Salukis (2-16, 1-15 MVC) and Bulldogs traded leads back and forth, with Southern tying the set at 11 after an attack error.

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SIU took a brief one point lead after an attack error, but a 4-0 run by Drake (12-5, 10-4 MVC) with three kills from senior opposite hitter Emily Plock.

The Salukis pulled back within four twice more in the second set, including a kill from senior outside hitter Savannah Sheridan to make it 22-18.

Another kill by Plock and an attack error by Sheridan closed out the first set with a win for Drake 25-19.

In the second set, SIU pulled out a 3-1 lead early with one kill each coming from Sheridan and freshman outside hitter Nsia Gittens.

The Bulldogs then scored three straight points, including two more kills from Plock to take a one-point advantage.

After being down two mid-way through the set, the Salukis used three straight points including kills from Gittens and senior opposite hitter Emma Baalman.

Drake used a 4-0 run with two aces from Plock, but Southern answered with a 3-0 run of their own all coming off of kills, with the third kill of the run coming from senior middle hitter Lindsey Paulsen to be down 19-18.

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The Bulldogs used a 4-0 run to close out the second set, with the last three points coming on attack errors by the Salukis as Drake claimed set two 25-19.

In the third set both SIU and Drake went back and forth with the Bulldogs, pushing out to a two point edge midway through the set at 12-10, after an attack error on the Salukis.

Southern would take a one point advantage 18-17 late in the third set with a kill from Paulsen and an attack error on the Bulldogs.

A bad set on Drake and an attack error on the Bulldogs and a kill by Baalman led to a 3-0 run for the Salukis to lead 22-20 late in the third set.

Three straight kills from Bush gave the Bulldogs a one-point lead over the Salukis in the set.

SIU closed out the third set with a 3-0 run with two attack errors by Drake ending the set with a 25-23 set win for Southern.

The Bulldogs scored three straight points to open the fourth set, with two of those scores coming on attack errors on the Salukis.

Southern pulled within one off a kill by Sheridan, but a 5-1 run by Drake pushed them out to an 8-3 lead after a kill by Plock.

The Bulldogs maintained a five-point lead until a kill by junior outside hitter Hannah Becker brought Southern back within four.

Becker finished the match with the team-high in kills with 18.

Drake pushed their lead out to as many as six, although Southern was able to chip away and get the lead down to as little as three with four straight points to make it 13-11 Drake.

A six point lead by Drake went away quickly late in the fourth set, as two kills, one from Becker and one from Paulsen, helped SIU draw within 22-19.

A service error on the serve by freshman outside hitter Alex Washington won the game for Drake 25-21 in four sets,

Up next the Salukis will be back in Carbondale to take on Illinois State for their last two matches of the season. First serve is on Saturday at 2pm.

Sports Reporter Adam Warfel can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @warfel_adam.

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