NORMAL, Ill. -- Junior Lindsay Stalzer recorded a match-high 25 kills and hit .444 for the match, but Bradley couldn't muster enough offense to defeat their host Illinois State Friday as the Braves fell in four games (25-30, 30-26, 18-30, 27-30) in Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball action at Redbird Arena.

Stalzer notched nine of her match-high 25 kills in the first game, but the Braves fell 30-25 in the opener. Bradley trailed 25-23, before a Braves service error and pair of attack errors, gave Illinois State a 28-23 lead. The teams traded the next four points and the Redbirds held off Bradley for the 30-25 victory.

Stalzer helped the Braves take control of game two. Bradley trailed 16-15 when Stalzer had a kill and two service aces to spark the Braves to a five-point run to give BU a 20-16 lead. The Redbirds got to within two points at 26-24, before a pair of Stalzer kills and a Redbird attack error gave the Braves game point. Bloomington, Ill., native Bethany Dulle sealed the game with a kill to give Bradley a 30-26 win to even the match at one game apiece.

The Redbirds jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the third game as Bradley committed five hitting errors during the opening stretch. The Braves hit -.028 for the game, posting 10 kills to 11 hitting errors on 36 attacks. Illinois State won game three by the score of 30-18.

Bradley led 16-12 in game four after Stalzer notched a pair of kills. Illinois State's Laura Doornbos took control of the match, recording six kills during a 7-3 Redbird run that pulled ISU even at 20-20. Bradley briefly took a one-point lead when Stalzer teamed with junior Ashley Vance on a block to put the Braves ahead 24-23. Illinois State freshman Kari Staehlin put the match out of reach, however, posting four consecutive kills during a 5-0 ISU run. The Redbirds posted a 30-27 victory in the game to take the match.

Stalzer was the only Bradley player with more than eight kills, finishing with a match-high 25 kills. She also added two aces and three block assists. Junior Kaitlyn Brenner had eight kills and five digs, while Vance totalled 48 assists. Junior Gillian Falknor had a match-high 16 digs.

Illinois State had four players with 10 or more kills, paced by Doornbos' 20 kills. Staehlin finished with 14 kills, while Emily Kabbes and Savannah Knowles each added 10 kills.

Bradley fell to 5-6 overall, 0-2 in Missouri Valley Conference play. Illinois State improved its record to 8-2 overall, 3-0 in Valley action.

Bradley returns to action Saturday in Terre Haute, Ind., as the Braves take on the Sycamores of Indiana State at 7 p.m.