PEORIA, Ill. -- Junior Megan Schmidt (Bloomington, Ill./Central Catholic) tallied 13 kills and sophomore Madelyn Ervin (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) added 12 kills for BU, but Southeast Missouri State topped Bradley in four sets to claim the title at the 2010 Hotels at Grand Prairie Invitational Saturday.  The Braves took the opening set 25-15, before SEMO rallied to take the final three sets 25-21, 25-20, 25-17.

Bradley (2-1 overall) tied SEMO (2-1 overall) for the best record in the tournament at 2-1, but the Redhawks won the championship due to the head-to-head victory in the tournament finale Saturday night. 

The Braves hit .372 in the opening frame and never trailed as they cruised to the 25-15 opening set victory.  Ervin notched six of her 12 kills and hit at a .556 clip in the first set.  The score was tied 5-5 when she helped fuel a 9-2 spurt with three consecutive kills to give Bradley a 14-7 lead.  The Braves pushed the lead to as many as 10 en route to the first-set win.

The second set featured 11 ties and three lead changes before the Redhawks made a late push.  The score was tied 16-16 after an Ervin kill when SEMO used a 6-1 run to go ahead 22-17 and tied the match with a 25-21 win.

Much like the second set, Southeast Missouri State broke open a 15-15 tie in the third set with a 7-2 spurt and led 22-17.  Claire Keaton highlighted the 25-20 Redhawks' win with six kills and 10 digs in the set.  SEMO slowed down the Braves offense in the third set by posting a 33-24 edge in digs, while hitting at a .275 clip.

Bradley trailed 15-14 in the fourth set when Karlee Lursen sparked a 7-0 SEMO run with three kills and a block assist.  The Redhawks closed out the match with a 25-17 fourth-set win. 

Schmidt was one of three Bradley player to reach double figures in kills, finishing with a team-best 13.  Ervin added 12 kills, while freshman Lauren Zernate (Elmhurst, Ill./York) collected 11 kills on the night.  Ervin averaged a team-best 2.92 kills per set in the season-opening tournament and earned a spot on the Hotels at Grand Prairie Invitational All-Tournament team.  She was joined on the all-tournament squad by sophomore Allie Gardner (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley), who averaged 5.83 digs per set during the opening weekend of play.

Keaton was named tournament MVP after tallying 15 kills, 20 digs and three block assists in the match against the Braves.  Emily Coon and Karlee Lursen each added 14 kills to pace SEMO offensively.  Libero Kelly Benacka finished with 25 digs and Julie Shives finished with 49 assists, three aces and 16 digs.

Earlier in the afternoon Western Illinois defeated USC Upstate in five sets (25-20, 20-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-10).  The Leathernecks and Spartans finished tied for third in the tournament field. 

Bradley returns to action Tuesday when the Braves travel to DeKalb, Ill., for a 7 p.m. match at Northern Illinois.  Tuesday's contest against the Huskies if the first road contest of the season and kicks off a four-match BU road swing.

2010 Hotels at Grand Prairie All-Tournament Team
Claire Keaton - SEMO (Tournament MVP)
Kelly Benacka - SEMO
Julie Shives - SEMO
Madelyn Ervin - Bradley
Allie Gardner - Bradley
Emily Sander - USC-Upstate
Katie Hoseng - Western Illinois