Last Week
Bradley split a pair of matches, defeating Indiana State in four games to end a seven-match losing skid and falling in three games at I-74 rival Illinois State. Senior Jenna Harrison tied a season-high with 15 kills and had a career-best nine blocks in the victory against Indiana State. The Braves struggled offensively in the match with Illinois State, hitting just .058 in a three-game loss.
Southern Illinois Series
Bradley will be trying to end a four-match losing streak in the all-time series with Southern Illinois, Friday, when the Braves visit Carbondale, Ill. The Salukis hold a 28-14 lead in the all-time series and have won six of the last overall in the series. Bradley is 6-14 in road matches in the series, but 4-3 in Carbondale, Ill., over the last seven years.
Evansville Series
Bradley will play its final road match of the season Saturday when the Braves visit Evansville. Despite losing two of the last three matches in the series, Bradley still holds a commanding 23-9 edge in the all-time series and has won nine of the last 13 overall. The Braves are 10-4 in road matches in the series and will be attempting to win their third straight road match against the Purple Aces.
Collins Tops 200 Kills
Freshman Melissa Collins has topped 200 kills in her first year on The Hilltop making her the first Bradley freshman with 200 kills since Lindsay Stalzer recorded 259 kills as a frosh in 2002. Collins is just the 11th player in program history to record 200 kills as a freshman. She has a chance to become the first freshman to lead the Braves in kills since two-time first-team All-Valley selection Jenny Pavlas led Bradley with 301 kills as a freshman in 1993.
Freshmen Update
Bradley's freshmen class have played a big role this season, combining over 35 percent of the Braves kills and 40 percent of the team's blocking. This season the freshmen have combined for 434 kills (35.5 percent of the team's total), 34 aces (30.9 percent), 285 digs (19.0 percent) and 88.5 blocks (40.1 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 surpassed last season's freshman with 201 kills, 24 aces, 193 digs and 19 blocks this 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.
Final Road Swing
Bradley will close out its final road swing of the season with matches at Southern Illinois (Friday) and at Evansville (Saturday). The Braves are 1-9 on the road this season and 1-14 in matches away from home. Bradley is 4-3 in road matches in the series with SIU over the last seven seasons and owns a 10-4 in road matches in the all-time series with Evansville.
Tournament Hopes Fading
The Braves hopes of qualifying for the six-team State Farm Missouri Valley Conference tournament have nearly faded. With two weeks remaining in the regular season Indiana State is the only team eliminated, but the Braves would have to win each of their last four matches in addition to Southern Illinois and Evansville losing their final four matches and Drake dropping two of its last three matches.
Comiskey Climbing The Chart
With senior Nikki Pierzchala sitting out due to injury this past week, sophomore Kaitlyn Comiskey moved from her usual spot as the Braves libero to an outside attacking position. Comiskey recorded 12 digs in the Braves four-game win against Indiana State to push her season total over 400 and give her 500 digs for her career. Comiskey's 414 digs is the ninth best season total in school history and marks the fourth time since 1990 that a Bradley player has recorded 400 digs in a season. She needs just 26 digs to move into fourth on the Braves single season list.
Digs In A Season
1. Stacy Besjak 1985 606 42
2. Kathy Bickler 1985 540 42
3. Gillian Falknor 2005 538 32
4. Blythe Zajakowski 1990 439 36
5. Sam Hardwick 2001 429 32
6. Carrie Brigman 1985 428 42
7. Kathy Bickler 1984 423 41
8. Wendy Carney 1989 420 35
9. Kaitlyn Comiskey 2007 414 27
10. Jenny Pavlas 1997 398 29
Jennifer Bohan 2006 398 30
Braves Complete Horizon League Challenge
Bradley wrapped up the non-conference portion of its schedule Monday night against Illinois-Chicago at Robertson Memorial Field House. The Flames were the fifth non-conference opponent for the Braves from the Horizon League and BU finished with an 0-5 record against teams from that conference. Bradley also faced the top three teams in the Horizon League standings (Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Cleveland State and Valparaiso) in addition to playing Loyola.
Blocking The Night Away
Bradley had arguably one of its defensive efforts against Loyola-Chicago (Oct. 16) at Robertson Memorial Field House, posting 82 digs and a season-best 19 blocks in a five-game loss. 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 1.00 per game. Austin is second no the team with 11 block solos and her 71 block assists is nine better than any other player on the roster. Her 71 block assists is the eighth best total by a freshman and her 82 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.
Collins Notches Season High In Kills
Freshman Melissa Collins has been one of the Braves top outside attackers and currently ranks second on the team in total kills with 201 this season. She posted a season-best 18 kills in Bradley's five-game loss at Drake (Oct. 20), marking the most kills by a freshman in a match since Marika Giguere reached the 18-kill mark six times during the 2000 season. Collins is averaging 2.73 kills per game over the last nine matches after averaging 1.71 kills per game in the first 16 matches of the season.
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 19th in school history with 779 career kills and enters this weekend's match against UNI 48 kills behind former teammate Briony Hammet for 18th place. She is the 18th player in program history with 700 kills and 500 digs in a career and is 21 kills and 16 digs short of being 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 nearly five digs per game (4.97) over the last 10 matches. Comiskey, who is averaging a team best 4.50 digs per game this season, has had 18 or more digs in six of the last 10 outings. This season she has accounted for nearly 30 percent of the team's digs (27.6 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 475 digs which would rank fourth among school season marks.
Blocking Is Improved
One area the Braves have improved upon from recent years is play at the net. Through 27 matches, the Braves are averaging 2.35 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 1.00 blocks per game. Current junior Katrina Goncher was the last freshman to lead the team in total blocks in 2005.
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.
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 10 of the last 17 matches and owns a team-best 12 double-doubles on the season. Black, who is the Braves active career leader in double-doubles, assists and aces, has posted double-doubles in 12 of the last 21 matches and is averaging 9.29 assists and 2.93 digs per game over the last 15 matches.
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 1,702 career assists, while Hillary is 11th all-time with 1,153 assists. Black needs 13 assists to pass Carrie Brigman for ninth place all-time, while Hillary will 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- 1702 77
11. Eileen Hillary 2004- 1153 103
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, marking the first time since the 1997 season the Braves have done so. Senior Nikki Pierzchala is the Braves active career leader in kills with 779 and she is followed by fellow senior Jenna Harrison, who recorded her 300th career kill during the opening weekend, and is at 484 kills for 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 18 wins to reach the mark. The second winningest coach in program history Luster owns a 134-160 record at BU and has a career mark of 582-411 (.586). Luster has coached in 993 matches as a Division I head coach, including 294 matches at Bradley. He has led the Braves to a 77-99 (.438) 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) 134 160 .456 77 99 .438
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 -- -- --
