Last Week
The Braves traveled to MVC rival Northern Iowa and fell to the Panthers in three sets. UNI used a potent offensive attack, hitting .402 as a team and served up seven aces to hand the Braves their sixth consecutive loss.
This Week
Bradley has a busy week ahead as the Braves continue a season-long four-match road swing. BU opens the week with a Tuesday match at Illinois-Chicago. The Flames have won each of the last two meetings and now hold a slim 12-11 lead in the all-time series. This season's meeting will mark the 14th consecutive year the two programs have squared off. Bradley is 7-6 against UIC since the series was renewed in 1995 after a three-year hiatus. The Braves face Missouri State on Friday and then travel to 14th-ranked Wichita State for a Saturday match. Missouri State holds a 36-7 lead in the all-time series and has won 15 consecutive matches in the series. Bradley has not won in Springfield, Mo., since the 1999 season. Wichita State is 25-18 in the all-time series with the Braves and has won 10 straight over BU. Bradley's last win in the series was in the 2002 MVC Tournament and the Braves have not won in Wichita, Kan., since the 2001 season.
Busy Road Stretch
Bradley will play three road matches this week to conclude a season-long four-match road swing. The Braves will also be wrapping a stretch in which seven of 10 matches were on the road. Following Saturday's match at 14th-ranked Wichita State, Bradley will play five of the next eight matches at home.
Ranked Opponents
Wichita State entered last week's action ranked 14th in the AVCA coaches' poll and after a 2-0 week will likely still be ranked in the top 15 when Bradley plays the Shockers Saturday in Wichita, Kan. The Braves are no stranger to ranked teams, having played at least one ranked squad in each of the last three years. Bradley has not played a team ranked in the top 15 since the 2003 season, however, when BU played three matches against teams ranked 13th or better. The Braves have played a ranked team in 10 of the last 11 seasons (counting 2008) and are 2-17 all-time against ranked squads. Bradley is 0-10 when playing a ranked team on the road.
Horizon League Tour Coming To An End
Tuesday's match at Illinois-Chicago will be Bradley's fourth and final match against a member of the Horizon League. The Braves also played Loyola, Valparaiso and current Horizon League leader Wisconsin-Milwaukee earlier this season. Last season Bradley played five matches against Horizon League members going 0-5 in those matches. The Braves have lost 10 consecutive matches to Horizon League members dating back to the 2005 season and have not won a road match against a Horizon League foe since 2004.
Black Joins Century Club
Senior Sam Black joined the century club Saturday at Northern Iowa, playing the 100th match of her career. Black is the Braves active career leader in assists and aces while ranking second among current players in career digs. Black is 38 assists away from becoming the sixth player in program history with 2,500 career assists and needs 20 digs to join junior Kaitlyn Comiskey in Bradley's career top 25.
Tough Opponents
Saturday's match at Northern Iowa was the Braves fifth consecutive match against a team that has a .500 record or better on the season. Bradley has played 11 of its last 13 matches against teams that are currently .500 or better on the year.
Three-Set Losses
Bradley's three-set loss at Northern Iowa has been a rare site this season for the Braves after getting swept 19 times in 2007. Nearing the mid-way point of Missouri Valley Conference play, Bradley has been swept by a conference foe just once after suffering 10 three-set losses last fall. While the Braves are still looking for their first MVC victory, Bradley has pushed three of its seven Valley foes to date to a deciding fifth set and boast a 9-21 (.300) in sets played in MVC play after going 14-50 (.219) in sets in league play last year.
Rachelle Dejean Climbing The Charts
Freshman Rachelle Dejean enters this weekend's action 10th in the MVC in digs per set and is the only freshman to rank in the top 10 in the Valley in digs per set. Dejean has a team-best 256 digs on the year and is averaging 3.46 per set. Her 256 digs is the eight-best season total by a BU freshman and is the most by a Bradley freshman since the 2000 season. She is just 21 digs from moving into sixth on the BU freshman digs chart and is looking to become the first freshman to lead the team in digs since Cindy Novak in 1992. Below is a look at the top dig marks posted by Bradley freshman.
Player Year Digs MP
1. Kathy Vaitkus 1984 383 34
2. Cindy Novak 1992 344 29
3. Lisa LaMontagne 1991 331 31
4. Tricia Hampe 1990 315 36
5. Marika Giguere 2000 297 25
6. Amelie Rodrige 1999 276 26
7. Jenny Pavlas 1993 272 29
8. Rachelle Dejean 2008 256 19
9. Jami Greve 1991 247 31
