Last Week
Bradley dropped three matches last week, falling to Loyola-Chicago at home in five games, before dropping matches on the road to Creighton (three games) and Drake (five games). Senior Nikki Pierzchala led the Braves in kills in two of the three matches and averaged a team-best 3.46 kills per game during the week.
UIC Series
The Braves open up a three-match homestand with a pair of matches this week. Things get started Monday night with the final non-conference match of the season against Illinois-Chicago at Robertson Memorial Field House. The all-time series between Bradley and Illinois-Chicago is knotted at 11-11, after the Flames downed the Braves in three games last season in Chicago. This season's meeting will mark the 13th consecutive year the two teams have faced each other. Bradley is 5-4 against UIC under head coach Scott Luster. The Braves are 7-3 all-time in home matches against the Flames.
Up Next
Bradley will continue its three-match homestand Saturday afternoon against Missouri Valley Conference power Northern Iowa. The Panthers hold a 43-9 edge in the all-time series after sweeping the season's first meeting in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The Braves are 6-17 against UNI in home matches all-time, but have won four of the last seven meetings at Robertson Memorial Field House.
Braves Complete Horizon League Challenge
Bradley will wrap up the non-conference portion of its schedule Monday night against Illinois-Chicago at Robertson Memorial Field House. The Flames are the fifth non-conference opponent for the Braves from the Horizon League. Bradley has already faced the top three teams in the Horizon League standings (Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Cleveland State and Valparaiso) in addition to playing Loyola at home last week.
Blocking The Night Away
Bradley had arguably one of its defensive efforts last week at Robertson Memorial Field House, posting 82 digs and a season-best 19 blocks in a five-game loss to Loyola. The 19 blocks were the most by the Braves since notching 22 blocks in a four-game victory at Drake on Nov. 1, 2003. Junior Katrina Goncher led Bradley, trying career highs with 14 kills and 10 blocks. Her 10 blocks were the most by a Bradley player since she recorded 10 blocks at Indiana State on Oct. 7, 2005 and it was the first time a Bradley player had a double-double that included double digit blocks since Ashley Vance's triple-double (57 assists, 18 digs, 11 blocks) at Drake at Nov. 1, 2003.
Austin Climbs Blocks List
Freshman Emily Austin leads Bradley in blocks, averaging 1.07 per game. Austin is second no the team with nine block solos and her 65 block assists is 10 better than any other player on the roster. Her 65 block assists is the eighth best total by a freshman and her 74 total blocks is also eighth among freshman marks. In fact she has already joined Lindsay Stalzer and Katrina Goncher as the only freshman since 1996 to have over 60 block assists and 70 total blocks.
Pierzchala Warming Up
Senior Nikki Pierzchala has reached double figures in kills in six consecutive matches and is averaging 3.71 kills per game during that span of time. The recent stretch marks the first time in her career Pierzchala has reached double figures in kills in three consecutive matches or more and she is the first Bradley player (besides the Valley's all-time career kills leader Lindsay Stalzer) to have 10 or more kills in six straight matches since Jenna Passman ended the 2003 season with nine straight double digit kill efforts.
Collins Notches Season High In Kills
Freshman Melissa Collins has been one of the Braves top outside attackers and ranks third on the team in total kills with 160 this season. She posted a season-best 18 kills in Bradley's five-game loss at Drake, marking the most kills by a freshman in a match since Marika Giguere reached the 18-kill mark six times during the 2000 season.
No Rest For The Weary
With the Missouri Valley Conference schedule just over halfway through and teams heading into the final stretch of the season, Bradley is wrapping up one of its busiest portions of the schedule. The Braves have played three matches in the last seven days with tonight's match against Illinois-Chicago making it four matches during an eight-day span. Things will calm down a bit, however, as Bradley will play seven matches over the next 26 days.
Pierzchala Cracks Top 20
Senior Nikki Pierzchala recorded her 700th career kill against Southern Illinois on Oct. 13. The 23rd player in program history to reach 700 career kills, she is tied for 19th in school history with 754 career kills and enters this week's play 73 kills behind former teammate Briony Hammet for 18th place. At her current season pace Pierzchala would finish the regular season with 833 career kills to rank 18th all-time. She is the 18th player in program history with 700 kills and 500 digs in a career. With eight matches remaining in the regular season, she needs 46 kills and 25 digs to become the 15th player in school history with 800 career kills and 600 digs.
Comiskey Also On A Tear
Sophomore Kaitlyn Comiskey has also been on a bit of tear lately, averaging better than five digs per game (5.08) over the last six matches. Comiskey, who is averaging a team best 4.46 digs per game this season, has had 18 or more digs in five of the last six outings. She started her recent trend with a career-high 28 digs in the Braves four-game win at Indiana State. Comiskey tied for team-high honors with 21 digs against Evansville and finished with a team-high 19 digs against both Southern Illinois and Loyola. This season she has accounted for nearly 30 percent of the team's digs (28.1 percent). No player in school history has ever accounted for over 25 percent of the team's digs in a season. Comiskey is on pace to finish the regular season with 474 digs which would rank fourth among school season marks.
Still In The Hunt
Despite the Braves season-opening struggles the Bradley is still in the hunt for a spot in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference tournament. BU enters this weekend's match against UNI in ninth place in the Valley standings at 1-10 but is just three and a half games out of a tie for sixth place with seven matches remaining.
Blocking Is Improved
One area the Braves have improved upon from recent years is play at the net. Through 23 matches, the Braves are averaging 2.42 blocks per game, which is the highest average since the 2002 team averaged 2.67 blocks per game. Leading the way at the net for the Braves is freshman Emily Austin who is averaging 1.07 blocks per game. Current junior Katrina Goncher was the last freshman to lead the team in total blocks in 2005.
Home Sweet Home
After opening the season with 11 of the first 16 matches away from home, the Braves hope a little home cooking will help turn around the season. Beginning with the Oct. 5 match against I-74 rival Illinois State, Bradley will play seven of the next 10 matches and nine of the final 15 matches overall at Robertson Memorial Field House. The Braves are 1-8 in true road matches and 1-13 away from home this season.
Strarks To Seek Medical Hardship
Freshman Alex Starks is likely done for the season and will apply for a medical hardship for the 2007 season. The Peoria, Ill., native played in nine matches and 19 games and was averaging 2.11 kills per game.
October Turn Around?
Bradley is hoping to buck a trend as the month of October begins. The Braves are 13-34 in the month of October over the past four-plus seasons. Bradley is 43-55 (.439) in October under head coach Scott Luster, which includes a 30-21 (.588) record in October during his first five seasons in Peoria.
Freshmen Playing Big Roles
Bradley's freshmen class has played a big role in the first 23 matches of the season, combining for nearly 35 percent of the Braves kills and almost 40 percent of the team's blocking. This season the freshmen have combined for 348 kills (33.8 percent of the team's total), 28 aces (32.2 percent), 226 digs (18.0 percent) and 77 blocks (39.8 percent). Last season the freshmen had a combined 118 kills (8 percent of the team total), 10 aces (8 percent), 177 digs (9 percent) and 18.5 blocks (9 percent) for the entire season. Freshman Melissa Collins has 160 kills, 18 aces, 155 digs and 16 blocks on the season. The last freshmen class to contribute more than 25 percent of the team's kills in a season were freshman during the 2000 season. That group included Ann Franklin, Marika Giguere and Jenna Passman.
Balanced Attack
Bradley used a very balanced attack against Drake (Sept. 21), with six different players collecting 10 or more kills. It is believed to be the first time in program history, six BU players had 10 or more kills in a match, unfortunately not all box scores prior to the 1992 season are available in sports information archives. Freshman Emily Austin paced the Braves offensively with 15 kills, while the trio of Nikki Pierzchala, Katrina Goncher and Melissa Collins each added 14 kills. Amy Reichel had 12 kills and senior Jenna Harrison notched 10 kills as the six players combined for all 79 of the Braves kills in the match and all but five of Bradley's attack attempts.
Black Stepping Up
Junior Sam Black leads the team in double-doubles, reaching double figures in assists and digs in nine of the last 13 matches and owns a team-best 11 double-doubles on the season. Black, who is the Braves active career leader in double-doubles, assists and aces, has posted double-doubles in 11 of the last 17 matches and is averaging 8.35 assists and 2.97 digs per game during that stretch.
Duo Rank Among Bradley Leaders
Senior setter Eileen Hillary and junior setter Sam Black both rank among Bradley's career leaders in assists. Black currently ranks 10th with 1,584 career assists, while Hillary is 11th all-time with 1,120 assists. Black needs 130 assists to pass Carrie Brigman for ninth place all-time, while Hillary will likely finish her career 11th all-time in career assists.
Bradley's Career Assists Leaders
Player Years Assists MP
1. Michelle Pack 1992-95 4251 110
2. Sam Hardwick 1998-01 3828 112
3. Ashley Vance 2002-05 3721 117
4. Wendy Carney 1986-89 2937 137
5. Amelie Rodrigue 1999-02 2546 116
6. Sharon Zaba 1982-85 2434 123
7. Julie Penn 1987-90 2107 128
8. Trish Jording 1994-97 2081 97
9. Carrie Brigman 1984-85 1714 65
10. Sam Black 2005- 1584 73
11. Eileen Hillary 2004- 1120 99
12. Ange Martin 1991-94 1023 119
Pierzchala Named To All-Tournament Team
Senior attacker Nikki Pierzchala picked up the first honors of the season for the Braves, earning all-tournament honors at the Radisson Hotel Invitational. Pierzchala averaged 2.00 kills and 2.20 digs per game. She posted her second double-double of the year in the Braves four-game victory against Western Illinois, finishing with 11 kills and 12 digs.
Braves Picked Eighth In Preseason MVC Poll
Bradley was picked to finish eighth according to a vote of Missouri Valley Conference coaches. Despite the eighth-place prediction, the Braves were just six points behind sixth-place Southern Illinois in the preseason predictions. Defending regular-season champion Northern Iowa is the favorite to repeat, picking up seven of 10 first-place votes and a total of 97 points. Wichita State was second with 85 points and one first-place vote, while Creighton garnered two first-place picks and was third with 81 points. Missouri State was fourth at 71 points, while Illinois State rounded out the top five with 65 points. Southern Illinois checked in at sixth with 39 points, with Evansville (7th - 38 points) and Bradley (8th - 33 points) following. Drake was picked ninth with 28 points and Indiana State received 13 points and was picked to finish 10th.
2007 Preseason Coaches' Poll
Team.......................................................... Total
Northern Iowa (7)............................................... 97
Wichita State (1)................................................. 85
Creighton (2)...................................................... 81
Missouri State.................................................... 71
Illinois State....................................................... 65
Southern Illinois.................................................. 39
Evansville......................................................... 38
Bradley............................................................ 33
Drake............................................................... 28
Indiana State...................................................... 13
No One-Two Combo?
Bradley entered the 2007 season without having two players on the roster with 300 or more career kills. Senior Nikki Pierzchala is the Braves active career leader in kills with 754 and she is followed by fellow senior Jenna Harrison, who recorded her 300th career kill during the opening weekend, and is at 457 kills during her career. The last time the Braves entered the season without two players on the roster with 300 or more career kills was the 1997 season. Entering the 1997 campaign, Jenny Pavlas had 1,236 career kills, but no other player on the roster had more than 200 kills. Jennifer Dority was second on the squad entering the season with 165 kills.
Luster Nearing 600 Wins
10th-year Bradley head coach Scott Luster is closing in on 600 career victories, needing 19 wins to reach the mark. The second winningest coach in program history Luster owns a 133-157 record at BU and has a career mark of 581-408 (.587). Luster has coached in 989 matches as a Division I head coach, including 290 matches at Bradley. He has led the Braves to a 76-97 (.439) record in Missouri Valley Conference play. Bradley was just 71-118 (.376) in conference action prior to Luster's arrival on The Hilltop.
Bradley Career Coaching Victories
Overall Record Conference Record
Head Coach (Years) W L Pct. W L Pct.
Pam Stanek (1982-94) 212 249 .460 49 84 .368
Scott Luster (1998-present) 133 157 .459 76 97 .439
Anelle Griffin (1975-80) 115 86 .572 -- --- --
Kalani Mahi (1995-97) 38 53 .418 22 34 .393
Darlene Kluka (1981) 11 27 .289 -- -- --
Marty King (1974) 5 10 .333 -- -- --
