Drake Bulldogs are set to compete in the MVC quarterfinals against the Belmont Bruins on April 26 at 10 a.m. in St. Louis, Missouri, with a potential semifinal match against Murray State the next day.

By the Numbers
  • Drake finished the season with an 8-12 record and earned the number five seed in the conference tournament.
  • The Bulldogs are on a two-game losing streak, with their last loss against Belmont, their quarterfinal opponent, with a score of 5-2.
  • Ines Stephani, the MVC Player of the Year, boasted a 15-3 singles record and won three MVC Player of the Week awards.
  • Mille Haagensen, undefeated against MVC opponents in the regular season, is on a nine-game win streak in singles.
  • Drake's first doubles pair, Stephani and Rebecca Ehn, had an 8-6 record, winning the MVC Doubles Team of the Week in January.
State of Play
  • Belmont, with a 12-9 record, defeated Drake last weekend and will enter the playoffs on a two-game win streak.
  • Sophomore Mariia Hlahola, who won two MVC Singles Player of the Week awards, leads the Bruins in the top singles position.
  • Hlahola and Anastasiya Zholdakova won their doubles match against Drake, securing the doubles point for Belmont.
What's Next

If the Bulldogs defeat Belmont, they will face Murray State in the semifinals on April 27 at 1 p.m.

Bottom Line

Drake Bulldogs face a tough challenge as they aim to overcome injuries and bounce back from their recent losses to make a mark in the MVC quarterfinals and potentially advance to the semifinals against Murray State.