PEORIA, Ill. ? Senior Jenna Harrison (Edwardsville, Ill./Metro East Lutheran) matched a season-high with 15 kills and was one of three Bradley players to reach double figures in kills, as she helped the Braves to their first victory of the season Saturday morning against Western Illinois at the Radisson Hotel Invitational at Robertson Memorial Field House. Bradley extended its win streak in the series with Western Illinois to nine, downing the Westerwinds 30-26, 21-30, 30-22, 31-29.

Harrison tied a season-best with 15 kills and also added three blocks to help highlight the victory of the season for the Braves. Senior Nikki Pierzchala (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview) had her second double-double of the season with 11 kills and 12 digs and freshman Melissa Collins (Manchester, Mo./Parkway South) recorded her first career double-double with 10 kills and 15 digs to go along with three service aces.

Collins came up big in the opening game, serving up three consecutive aces during a 5-0 Bradley run that gave the Braves a 27-21 lead. Western Illinois pulled back to within three points at 29-26, but Collins put the finishing touches on the first game with a kill to give Bradley a 30-26 win.

Western Illinois (1-5 overall) scored the first six points of game two and led from start to finish as the Westerwinds cruised to a 30-21 victory to even the match. Bradley had as many hitting errors as kills in the second game, while Western Illinois hit .211 in the frame.

The Braves (1-5 overall) were much improved offensively in game three, hitting .389 as a team and cruised to a 30-22 victory to retake the lead. Western Illinois pulled even with Bradley at 17-17, before the Braves used a balanced attack during a 13-5 spurt to close out the game. Six different Braves recorded kills during the closing stretch that also included a pair of blocks and two service aces. Bradley led 24-21 when Pierzchala found the floor with a kill. Sophomore Amy Reichel (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) followed with an ace and Harrison added a kill. Reichel capped a five-point run with a kill and another ace, giving the Braves a 29-21 lead.

Bradley and Western Illinois battled back and forth in the fourth and final game, which featured 11 ties and three lead changes. It appeared the team's might be heading to a deciding fifth game after the Westerwinds took a 29-27 lead on an Ashley Baker kill. Freshman Caitlin Staib (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) notched her season-best ninth kill of the match to pull the Braves within one point and senior setter Eileen Hillary (Washington, Ill./Washington) served up the eighth ace of the match for Bradley to tie the game at 29-29. Collins came up big again in the crunch with a kill and the Braves ended the match when Reichel and freshman Emily Austin (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) teamed together for a block to close out the match.

Staib and Reichel both finished with nine kills as the Braves had five players with nine or more kills. Austin added six kills and a season-high seven block assists. Sophomore Kaitlyn Comiskey (Crystal Lake, Ill./South) led the defensive efforts with a career-high 23 digs, while Hillary finished with her first double-double of the year (32 assists, 11 digs).

Ashley Baker led Western Illinois with 19 kills and a .474 attack percentage, but was the only WIU player with 10 or more attacks to hit over .100 in the match. Elise Crnjak had a match-high 30 digs to lead the Westerwinds defensively.

In the second match of the day Montana won the first two games against Saint Louis, before the Billikens rallied to pick up a 29-31, 19-30, 30-24, 30-26, 15-11 victory. Bridget Fonke led SLU with 28 kills to go along with her nine digs and five service aces.

The Radisson Hotel Invitational concludes tonight with a pair of matches. Saint Louis, which is 2-0 in tournament play, will face Western Illinois (0-2 in tournament play) at 5 p.m. The day concludes with Bradley taking on Montana at 7 p.m. at Robertson Memorial Field House. Both Montana and Bradley enter the match with 1-1 records.