NORMAL, Ill. ? Bradley junior Kim Braun (Racine, Wis./The Prairie School) needed only two sets to win her match at No. 6 singles, but host Illinois State won the remaining five singles matches and swept through the doubles matches to defeat the Braves, 6-1, in the Missoury Valley Conference opener for Bradley.

Braun knocked off Andrea Mursesan, 7-6, 6-3, to win her second match in a row and improve to 5-3 on the spring dual season. The Redbirds (8-7 overall, 2-0 MVC) controlled the other five singles matches, putting the Braves (3-6 overall, 0-1 MVC) away in straight sets in each of the five contests. Katri Miller defeated Bradley sophomore Emily Regenold (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton H.S.) at No. 1, 7-5, 6-2.

BU sophomore Kelly Donohue (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart Academy) fell at No. 2 to ISU's Julia Zubkova. Bradley sophomore Jessica Buterbaugh came up short at No. 3 against Veronique Parke-Bedard, 6-3, 7-5. Freshman Nicole Miller (Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard West H.S.) lost for just second time in nine tries this spring, dropping a 6-2, 6-1 decision to Carolyne Parent at No. 4. Illinois State's Tanja Hrovatic stopped BU junior Erin Krubeck (Boulder, Colo./Fairview H.S.) in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3.

The Redbirds had little problems in the doubles matches, taking an early lead on the Braves with a sweep of the three matches. Parke-Bedard and Miller defeated Buterbaugh and Donohue at No. 1, 8-2. Zubkova and Parent defeated Miller and Regenold at No. 2, 8-1, in just the second loss of the spring and third loss overall for the BU pairing. Hrovatic and Katie O'Riley won at No. 3 for the Redbirds, downing Krubeck and Braun, 8-2.

BU will visit Indiana State Sunday at 2 p.m. for the second of six consecutive road matches for the Braves.