NORMAL, Ill. -- Bradley took the opening set at Illinois State 25-21, but Illinois State collected 14 blocks in the next three frames to rally for a 21-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-19 victory against the Braves Friday at Redbird Arena.

Despite the loss, Bradley (11-10 overall, 5-7 MVC) remained alone in sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference standings and the Braves hold a one-game lead on both Indiana State and Loyola heading into Saturday's match against the Sycamores.

Freshman Rachel Jones (Champaign, Ill./Centennial) played the final two sets and led Bradley with 10 kills and a .562 attack percentage.  Senior Alise Tupuritis (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West) had eight kills and 20 digs, while fellow senior Lauren Zerante (Elmhurst, Ill./York) added 21 digs and three aces in the setback.  Zerante moved up two spots on Bradley's career digs list into seventh and now has 1,194 digs as a Brave.

Illinois State (16-7 overall, 9-2 MVC) hit -.020 in the opening set and Bradley was able to capitalize on the ISU miscues to jump out to a 21-9 lead.  The Redbirds led 7-6 when sophomore Jessie Tulacka (Westmont, Ill./Downers Grove North) opened a 14-2 BU run with a kill.  The Braves forced seven Illinois State attack errors, including two blocks, and served up three aces during the spurt.  Bradley went on to take the frame 25-21. 

The Redbirds hit .237 in the second set and tallied six blocks to even the match with a 25-19 victory.  Bradley trailed 17-15 after a Tulacka kill and was within striking distance at 21-18 on a Tupuritis kill, but Illinois State answered with back-to-back blocks.  Brooklyn Hlafka followed a Redbird service error with a kill to give ISU set point (24-19) and Stacey Niao ended a 25-19 Redbird victory with a kill.

Jones collected seven of her team-high 10 kills on the night in the third set on just 10 swings and sophomore Kristi Chynoweth (Parkland, Fla./North Broward) added five kills as the duo accounted for 12 of BU's 15 third-set kills.  Illinois State put together its best offensive set, however, hitting .250 and took the frame 25-23. 

The pivotal third set featured seven lead changes and 14 ties, before Illinois State was able to close things out.  The score was tied at 20-20 and Illinois State held a 23-22 lead when Hlafka found the floor with a kill to give the Redbirds set point (24-22).  Chynoweth had a kill of her own to pull Bradley within a point (24-23), but Niao ended another set with her sixth kill of the stanza.

Illinois State's Emily Schneider had two kills and two blocks to key an 8-1 Redbird run midway through the fourth set, which put ISU in front, 18-12.  The Braves were able to chip away at the Illinois State lead and cut the deficit to four on several occasions, including 20-16.  The Redbirds were able to hold Bradley off and took the set 25-19 to finish the match.

Freshman Melissa Hoerber (Fulton, Mo./Fulton) had 19 assists and a season-best 19 digs for her sixth double-double of the year.  Sophomore Jessica Teel (San Antonio, Texas/Claudia Taylor Johnson) had her fourth double-double of the season, with 16 assists and 11 digs.

Ashley Rosch led Illinois State with 14 kills and also had 13 digs and six blocks.  Hlafka had 12 kills and a .345 attack percentage, while Niao added 10 kills and 20 digs.  ISU setter Ratasha Garbes had 38 assists and 23 digs to help pace the Redbirds.

Bradley continues a three-match Missouri Valley Conference road swing Saturday with a 6 p.m. (CDT) match at Indiana State in Terre Haute, Ind.