ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Drury volleyball rallied from a 2-0 deficit to pull out a five-set thriller over Arkansas Tech (21-25, 14-25, 25-16, 25-16, 15-11) Friday in the first of three matches for the Panthers at the Bettye Wallace Classic at Duke Wells Center.

Mailie Chretien did a little bit of everything to lead the Panthers, logging a match-high 18 kills, nine digs and three service aces. The senior saved her best for crunch time, delivering three critical kills in the match's final six points to help the Panthers to their sixth-consecutive victory.

After dropping the night's first two sets, the Panthers rebounded in a big way by hitting .350 and serving 13 aces over the match's final three sets. Ella Rademaker matched a Drury career high with 13 kills while hitting a team-leading .370, and Chaney Barth recorded five aces to pace DU's potent service attack.

With the victory, Drury (7-2) is off to its best start through nine matches since 2017.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a Lauren Tyler service ace pulled the Panthers to within two points midway through the opening set, the Golden Suns used a 7-2 run to take control.
• Millie Allgood recorded an ace and a kill to lead the scoring spurt for ATU, which stretched its margin to 18-11 on a Drury attack error.
• DU claimed five of the next six points to draw to within 19-16, thanks to three straight kills by Chretien. 
• The Panthers pulled to within two points on Chretien's fifth kill of the set, but ATU sealed the 25-21 outcome with kills from Carson Thiebaud and Erika Hernandez.
• In the second stanza, the Golden Suns used a 10-1 run to flip the script on the Panthers, who had won six of the first nine points of the set behind a pair of Rademaker kills.
• Hernandez once again spearheaded the ATU attack with a pair of kills to go along with three solo blocks during the key run.
• Drury once again battled back, cutting its deficit to 15-12 on back-to-back Skylar Hilton blocks.
• ATU responded by winning the next eight points to pull away for the 25-14 second-set win.
• The Golden Suns hit .250 as a team through the first two sets, while holding the Panthers to .045 hitting.
• Drury bounced back in a big way in the third set, riding another strong performance by Chretien, as well as four aces from Barth to a 25-16 victory.
• Chretien registered five kills in the set, with four of those -- plus a service ace -- coming in the early stages to help the Panthers to a 10-4 lead.
• DU extended its advantage to as many as 10 points, thanks largely to Barth's three aces that punctuated a 7-0 run for the Panthers.
• Phoebe Riddle added three kills and a block for Drury, which hit .367 as a team in the third set.
• The Panthers carried that momentum into the fourth set, taking control with a 5-1 run fueled once again by a strong service attack.
• Barth delivered her fifth service ace of the night, while three additional Panthers chipped in with aces in the fourth.
• DU then reeled off six straight points, highlighted by two kills from Rademaker and a pair of Tyler aces.
• Rademaker extended the Drury lead to 19-12 with one of her five kills in the set, before Chretien served back-to-back aces to extend the margin to double digits, then secured the set point with her 15th kill of the match. 
• The two clubs evenly traded blows through the first 20 points of a fifth set that featured seven ties and a pair lead changes.
• But with the score knotted at 10-10, DU gained the upper hand for good on the first of Chretien's three key kills down the stretch.
• Mary Henry followed with the 14th Panther ace of the night for a 12-10 lead, and Chretien countered a DU attack error with another kill.
• Next, a block by Hilton capped a lengthy rally to bring the Panthers to the brink of victory, before Chretien put away the deciding point for the win.

NOTABLES

• Drury's six-match win streak represents its longest since October 2022.
• DU's 14 service aces mark a season high
• Chretien led the Panthers with a season-high 18 kills, marking the senior's fifth double-digit kill total in nine matches this season; she has reached double figures in four of her last five outings since Sept. 12.
• Chretien also matched a career high with three service aces and missed her second-straight double-double by one dig.
• Rademaker's 13 kills matches her previous DU single-match best (vs. East Central on Sept. 13).
• Hilton finished with five blocks, giving the freshman a total of 15 in the Panthers' last three matches.
• In addition to her three service aces, Tyler racked up 20 assists, bringing her Drury career total to 1,978, which ranks 10th all-time in Panthers history.
• Henry registered 10 digs to lead DU, giving her six double-digit dig performances this season.
• Barth recorded seven kills to go along with her six digs and career-high five aces.
• Jacy Bray led all players with 27 assists on the night.

UP NEXT
Drury concludes its trip to Arkadelphia Saturday with matches against host Henderson State (11 a.m.) and Pittsburg State (3:30 p.m.).

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