NORMAL, Ill. -- Bradley won the first set, but I-74 rival Illinois State rallied to take the next three and down the Braves 15-25, 25-12, 25-21, 25-18 Sunday afternoon in Missouri Valley Conference volleyball action at Redbird Arena.

The Braves (4-11 overall, 0-4 MVC) ran away with the opening set, downing the Redbirds 25-15. Bradley trailed 9-6, when sophmore Kaitlyn Comiskey (Crystal Lake, Ill./South) started an 8-0 BU run with a kill to give the Braves a 14-9 lead. Junior Amy Reichel (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) helped close out the first set with three kills, an ace and a block to highlight an 11-6 Bradley spurt to close out the win.

Peggy Riessen powered the Redbirds (9-6 overall, 3-1 MVC) to a 25-12 victory in the second set. Riessen tallied nine kills and six digs, while attacking at .474 clip in the frame. After hitting .333 in the first set, Bradley hit .057 compared to Illinois State's match-best .300 attack percentage in the second set.

Riessen would come up big again for Illinois State in the closing moments of the third set. Sophomore Caitlin Staib (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) gave the Braves a 21-20 lead with a kill, before Riessen sparked a 5-0 Redbird spurt with one of her match-high 20 kills. An Illinois State block was followed by another Riessen kill to put ISU in front 23-21. MC Richmond followed up a Bradley attack error with a kill just inside the back line to give the Redbirds a 25-21 victory.

Illinois State took control of the fourth set in the early going, using an 8-0 run to build a 10-2 lead. The Braves would battle back to within five points (15-10), but the Redbirds countered with an 8-4 spurt to push the lead to nine points at 23-14. Bradley would run out of time, however, as Illinois State closed out the match with a 25-18 win.

Sophomore Melissa Collins (Manchester, Mo./Parkway South) led the Braves with 15 kills, while senior Sam Black (Atalissa, Iowa/West Liberty) added her team-leading eighth double-double of the year with 35 assists and 12 digs. Comiskey helped pace Bradley's defensive efforts with 19 digs. Bloomington, Ill., native Megan Schmidt (Bloomington, Ill./Central Catholic) finished with eight kills and six digs to go along with five blocks.

Riessen led all players with 20 kills and hit .300 for the match to lead the Redbirds. Richmond joined Riessen in double figures with 11 kills as the duo each added 15 digs. Kasey Mollerus recorded 23 digs and Katie Culbertson had seven blocks to lead Illinois State defensively.

Bradley returns to action Tuesday when the Braves open a three-match homestand with a 7 p.m. match against Valparaiso at Illinois Central College.