Box Score
PEORIA, Ill. -- Illinois State spoiled senior night for Bradley, posting a 30-20, 30-26, 30-23 victory over the Braves in the final home match of the season for BU in Missouri Valley Conference volleyball action Friday night at Robertson Memorial Field House. Senior Kelly Niemeyer led Bradley with 13 kills, but the Redbirds countered with three players in double figures in kills and outblocked the Braves 14-4.
Bradley (7-21 overall, 4-12 MVC) had just one player reach double figures and struggled offensively, hitting a combined .054 in the first two games. Niemeyer had 13 kills and 11 digs in the final home match of her career for her team-leading 12th double-double of the season. Fellow senior Amber DeBroux added eight kills, while sophomore Katrina Goncher also chipped in with eight kills to pace the Braves offensively.
Illinois State (15-11 overall, 9-6 MVC) led from start to finish in the opening game and cruised to a 30-20 victory. The Redbirds hit .326 in the first game, compared to .122 for Bradley. Kari Staehlin led Illinois State offensively with seven of her match-high 18 kills in the opener, hitting .667 in the frame (seven kills, one error, nine attacks).
Game two went back and forth with a total of nine lead changes and 16 ties. The Braves held a 25-23 lead after an Illinois State attack error, but Staehlin found the floor with one of her six game-two kills to start a 6-0 Redbird run that gave ISU a 29-25 lead. Junior Jenna Harrison ended the run with a kill to pull Bradley to within three points at 29-26, but Lindley McDavid ended the game with a kill to give Illinois State a 30-26 win.
Bradley found its offense in the third game, hitting .256, but Illinois State also had its best game of the night offensively, hitting .386 as a squad in the final set. The Braves fell behind early, trailing 12-4 and were never able to cut the ISU lead to under four points as the Redbirds closed out the match with a 30-23 victory.
The trio of Niemeyer, Goncher and DeBroux combined for 29 of Bradley's 40 kills on the night. Sophomore Sam Black added her 11th double-double of the year with 25 assists and 12 digs, while senior Jennifer Bohan matched Black for team-high honors with 12 digs. Bradley owned a .119 attack percentage on the night and failed to record an ace for the first time this season.
Bradley seniors (Niemeyer, DeBroux, Bohan and Amy McFarland) combined for 24 kills (60 percent of Bradley's 40 kills) and 27 digs in the final home match of their careers.
Staehlin led all players with 18 kills and nine blocks while attacking at a .469 clip to lead Illinois State. M.C. Richmond (13 kills) and McDavid (10 kills) also joined Staehlin in double figures in kills. Kasey Mollerus had a match-high 24 digs, helping the Redbirds to a 57-54 edge in digs.
The loss eliminated the Braves from contention for the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Bradley returns to action Sunday at Indiana State at 12 p.m. (CST).