SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State's defense recorded 17 blocks Friday evening against Drake, the team's most in a decade, on the way to sweeping the Bulldogs by set scores of 25-21, 25-23, 30-28 in Missouri Valley Conference volleyball action at Hammons Student Center.

The Bears (11-9, 4-3 MVC) had at least five stuffs in each set to equal a 17-block performance at Long Beach State on Aug. 30, 2008, as the most in the 25-point scoring era. It also marked the highest block total in a three-set match for MSU since 2006.

Ashley Ophoven led the way with a season-high 17 kills, including 10 in the third set, on .308 hitting, adding three solo blocks as one of five Bears with at least three stuffs. Laynie Dake hit .450 with a career-high 11 kills and six blocks, and MacKenzie Irwin led all players with seven blocks.

Missouri State's 20th consecutive October victory also served as the 503rd in Melissa Stokes's career, tying her with former UNI coach Iradge Ahrabi-Fard for second all-time in total wins among MVC coaches.

Ophoven and fellow senior Cambree Villarreal put the Bears on their backs in the third set, combining for 15 of the team's 18 kills in a wild final period that included 18 ties and eight lead changes. Ophoven kills accounted for points 24-27 for the Bears, and Villarreal scored for 28 and 29 before Irwin and Aubrey Cheffey finished the victory with a block to convert MSU's fifth match point opportunity.

Dake had a run of three blocks and a kill to help MSU turn an 18-17 lead into a 23-18 advantage in the first set, giving the Bears enough cushion to withstand the Bulldogs spoiling a trio of set points. Missouri State used six blocks to hold DU (15-7, 4-4) to a negative hitting percentage in the frame.

The score was tied 10 times to a 14-all deadlock in the second period when Ophoven had two kills and a block in a 4-0 run to 18-14. The teams traded runs to a 21-19 MSU lead, Drake pulled even at 23-23, and the Bears answered with a block from Dake and Amelia Flynn followed by an Emily Butters ace.

Butters led all players with 23 digs, helping the Bears to a 64-54 lead in that category. Missouri State also owned the edge in hitting percentage (.156-.077), kills (45-41), blocks (17-11) and aces (2-1).

The Bears host UNI (14-6, 8-0) at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Panthers won 3-1 at Southern Illinois on Friday.