SPRINGFIELD -- The Missouri State volleyball team won its ninth match in a row Friday with a 25-13, 25-21, 29-27 sweep of visiting Drake at Hammons Student Center, moving into sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings thanks to UNI's victory at Wichita State.

The Bears (18-7, 9-2 MVC) host UNI (18-7, 9-3) at 7 p.m. Saturday, a night after piling up 50 kills against only nine errors in knocking off the Bulldogs (13-12, 4-7).

Missouri State did not trail at any point through the first two sets, jumping out to leads of 4-0 and 3-0, respectively, and hitting a combined .357 as a team through two periods.

The Bulldogs turned the tables in the third, withstanding several MSU comeback attempts after gaining a 10-6 lead. The Bears battled back to tie the score three times before DU went on a 3-0 run to lead 19-15. 

It was 22-19 Drake when three straight kills from Lily Johnson gave the Bears their first lead of the set, and Lynsey Wright's kill made it a 5-0 run and match point MSU at 24-22. Drake countered to earn its own match point at 25-24 and spoiled MSU's 26-25 lead before getting another chance at 27-26. Simone House answered with a block for 27-all and Johnson followed with a kill before a misplaced set by Drake gave the match to the Bears.

Johnson led all players with 20 kills, matching her owning school record with her 36th consecutive match in double figures. Wright hit .375 with 11 kills, and Brianne Dixon lifted a career-high 16 digs. House played a part in all five MSU blocks, each team had 71 digs, and the Bears owned a 5-2 edge in service aces.