PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley Volleyball picked up its first sweep in Missouri Valley Conference play of the year with junior Erica Haslag collecting 20 kills to help power the Braves to a 25-21, 26-24, 25-23 victory over Evansville Friday at Renaissance Coliseum.
After collecting six kills in the first set, Haslag had seven kills in both the second and third frames as she broke the Bradley record for kills in a three-set match under the current 25-points set format with 20. She added 10 digs for her 17th double-double of the year and attacked at a .291 clip. Haslag, who pushed her season kill total over 500 during the contest, moved into eighth in career kills on The Hilltop as she passed Amy Angelos on Bradley's all-time chart.
Fellow junior Yavianliz Rosado paced Bradley's defensive efforts with 20 digs as the Braves held Evansville to a .142 hitting percentage. Sophomore Hannah Angeli finished one dig short of what would have been her 22nd double-double of the season, collecting 41 assists, one ace, nine digs and three blocks. The victory gave Bradley its most MVC wins since 2013 and the Braves matched the Renaissance Coliseum record for wins in a season with BU earning its seventh home victory of 2017.
Bradley never trailed in the first set and took control of the frame midway through after Evansville had pulled within two at 18-16. Angeli and junior Alissa Schovanec combined for a block and consecutive UE attack errors gave the Braves a 21-16 advantage. Haslag followed an Evansville kill with one of her own and she later gave Bradley set point at 24-19 with her sixth kill of the stanza. The Purple Aces fought off two BU set points before an Evansville error gave the Braves a 25-21 victory.
The second set featured seven lead changes and 10 ties with Bradley needing a late rally. Evansville led by as many as five points (15-10) before the Braves made their push. Four different Bradley players had kills and a Hanna Alexander ace helped highlight an 8-1 BU run which gave the Braves an 18-16 advantage.
Evansville battled back to take a 21-20 lead and eventually had set point at 24-23 after a Gabriela Dos Santos ace. An Evansville service error tied things up at 24-24, however, and Schovanec found the floor with a kill as the Braves went in front 25-24. Another UE attack error gave Bradley the set 26-24. Haslag had seven kills on 16 swings with no errors in the third, helping Bradley hit .342 in the stanza. Senior Jamie Livaudais added four kills on six attacks in the third.
Haslag added another seven kills and six digs in the third set as Bradley completed the sweep with a 25-23 win. The Braves jumped out to an early 4-1 lead and led for much of the third before Evansville rallied. The Aces pulled even at 17-17 and later took a 21-20 lead on a Bradley error. Haslag took over down the stretch, accounting for three of Bradley's final five points with kill. She tied the score at 21-21 with a kill and Bradley led 22-21 after an Aces' error.
With the score knotted at 22-22, Haslag's 19th kill of the night put Bradley in front 23-22, only to have Evansville tie it again at 23-23 on a BU service error. Haslag answered with another kill, her 20th, to give her team match point at 24-23 and Livaudais put the finishing touches on the Bradley sweep with her seventh kill of the night.
Bradley closes out the 2017 season Saturday with a 7 p.m. home match against Indiana State at Renaissance Coliseum. Seniors Jamie Livaudais and Taylor Thiele will be recognized prior to the contest.
