The Eastern volleyball team is at an advantage heading into the Drake Bulldog Invitational.

It will see a familiar face in the DePaul Blue Demons, a team Eastern beat in its season-opener last year.

The Panthers defeated the Blue Demons in four sets (25-20, 25-19, 22-25, 25-22) in the first game of the DePaul Invitational.

Sophomore setter Marah Bradbury said Eastern gained some experience seeing the same DePaul team last season, but the Panthers still are not overlooking them.

“It was an exciting game to play,” Bradbury said. “However, we have to expect they will come back this year even stronger to beat us, which means we will have to come out even stronger than last year.”

DePaul is 3-0 this season after winning its annual DePaul Invitational. The Blue Demons beat Providence, Chicago State and McNeese State all in straight sets.

Eastern will also face South Dakota State and host Drake in the four-team tournament.

South Dakota State began its season winless in the North Dakota Classic, losing to Iowa State, Texas A&M and North Dakota all in straight sets.

Drake, meanwhile, like Eastern, is 1-3. The Bulldogs fell to Stetson, Idaho and Wyoming in the UniWyo Wyoming Invite. The lone team the Bulldogs beat was Montana State in four sets.

With this being each team’s second tournament, the Panthers want to capitalize on the early part of the season and make a new name for Eastern volleyball, Bradbury said.

“We all know it is possible for us to go undefeated this weekend, and are excited to get Eastern’s volleyball program back on the map starting with our first game on Friday,” Bradbury said.

The Panthers are coming off the Toledo Blue/Gold Invitational where they lost to Loyola and host Toledo in five sets, and West Virginia in four sets.

“In practice we have made an effort to focus on the little things, so that in those close matches we can be the winning team,” Bradbury said. “We all walked away remembering how not only losing, but losing in 5 games felt.”

The Panther were able to beat Marist College in a three-set sweep (25-20, 25-22, 25-22).

Eastern hit a season-high .366 in the sweep of Marist.

Bradbury nabbed two of assist-dig double-doubles. She now has nine double-double performances.

She twice dished out 38 assists, while adding 10 and 11 digs, respectively, against West Virginia and Toledo.

Sophomore outside hitter Chelsea Lee led all Panthers with 60 kills (3.53 kill per set) at the Toledo Invitational.

She recorded her first career double-double with 21 kills and 13 digs, both career highs, in the season-opening loss to Loyola.

Eastern begins action at 5 p.m. Friday against South Dakota State. Then it will take on Drake and DePaul at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa.

Anthony Catezone can be reached at 581-2812 or ajcatezone@eiu.edu.