Box Score PEORIA, Ill. -- Sophomore Megan Schmidt (Bloomington, Ill./Central Catholic) tied for match-high honors with 12 kills and a career-high 23 digs to help the Bradley Volleyball team to a 25-17, 21-25, 25-21, 25-18 victory against Montana State in the final match of the CEFCU Classic Saturday at the Markin Family Student Recreation Center.
The Braves (8-4 overall) tied with both UTEP and Montana State (2-7 overall) for the best record in the tournament at 2-1, but UTEP claimed the tournament title because of the Miners' 8-3 record in sets played compared to the Braves 6-4 mark and Montana State's 7-6 record. Coppin State finished fourth in the tournament field with an 0-3 mark.
After falling behind 5-2 early on in the first set, sophomore Genevieve Dejean (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) served nine consecutive points during a 9-0 Bradley run which gave the Braves an 11-5 lead. Schmidt recorded three kills and added a block assist to help highlight the spurt. Montana State pulled to within three points at 15-12, before freshman Jessica McNellis (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) notched two kills and an ace during a 5-1 BU spurt to give Bradley a 20-13 advantage. The Braves would go on take the first set 25-17.
The Bobcats led 18-16 in the second set, but five consecutive Montana State points pushed the Braves' deficit to 23-16. A late Bradley push helped the Braves pull to within three points (24-21), but Montana State went on to even the match with a 25-21 win.
The third set featured 11 ties and three lead changes before Bradley managed to take control late. Senior Amy Reichel (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) broke an 18-18 tie with a kill and sophomore Rachelle Dejean (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) followed with an ace. McNellis tallied one of her season-high 11 kills to give the Braves a 21-18 lead. Bradley traded kills with Montana State on the next six points, setting up set-point for the Braves at 24-21. Reichel closed out a 25-21 Bradley win with a kill as the Braves hit .349 in the third set.
The fourth set included six lead changes and 10 ties before a Bradley run midway through the frame. With the score knotted at 11-11, a Montana State attack error was followed by an Annie Cave (Easton, Ill./Illini Central) kill. Cave added another kill after a Montana State kill and service error during a 5-1 BU spurt which put the Braves ahead 16-12. Reichel would help put the Bobcats away, recording three consecutive kills as Bradley built a 22-16 advantage. The Braves closed out their second victory of the day with a 25-18 fourth-set win.
Schmidt tied for match-high honors with 12 kills and had a career-best 23 digs. She also added one ace and four blocks, while hitting at a .367 clip. Tying Schmidt for the team lead in kills was Reichel with 12. Both Reichel and Schmidt were selected to the CEFCU Classic All-Tournament team.
McNellis posted a season-best 11 kills and hit .304, while Cave also finished in double figures with 10 kills. Freshman Skylar Lesan (Solon, Iowa/Solon) had three kills, 48 assists, two aces and eight digs as the Braves finished second in a tournament for the third consecutive week.
Kyla Hendry led Montana State with 12 kills and was named to the all-tournament team. Meghan Albiston tied Schmidt for match-high honors with 23 digs and joined Hendry on the all-tournament team.
Earlier in the afternoon, UTEP claimed the tournament title with a 25-9, 25-11, 25-11 victory against Coppin State. Patty Jarmoc was an all-tournament team selection along with Tournament MVP Aidan Mooney for the Miners.
Bradley returns to action Tuesday when the Braves close out a four-match homestand with a 7 p.m. match against Western Illinois at the Markin Family Student Recreation Center.
