PEORIA, Ill. -- After opening the season with three victories and a tournament title at last week's Rocket Invitational, Bradley Volleyball will take the court at Renaissance Coliseum for the first time in 2015 this weekend when the Braves host the CEFCU Classic.
Bradley welcomes Manhattan, UMASS Lowell and Weber State for the two-day event which will start Friday morning with a 10 a.m. matchup between UMASS Lowell and Weber State. UMASS Lowell will take on Manhattan Friday at 4 p.m. before Bradley's home opener against Weber State Friday at 7 p.m.
Saturday's action begins at 11 a.m. with Bradley facing UMASS Lowell. Manhattan and Weber State will square off at 1:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon before the Braves conclude the tournament with a 6 p.m. matchup against the Manhattan Jaspers.
Notes | Watch (Saturday Bradley Matches Only) | Live Stats | Twitter Updates (@BradleySIDLive) | Tickets
BradleyBraves.com will provide links to live stats for all six matches of the CEFCU Classic. The Braves will make their debut on The Valley on ESPN3, with both of Saturday's contests involving Bradley (11 a.m. vs. UMASS Lowell & 6 p.m. vs. Manhattan) available through WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.
A different player has led Bradley in kills in each of the first three matches of 2015 and the Braves have benefitted from a balanced attack, with six Braves averaging at least 1.42 kills per set. Junior middle blocker Kelsey Cave (Solon, Iowa/Solon) boasts a .392 attack percentage and averages a team-high1.85 kills per set, while freshman Raegen Jackson (Arvada, Colo./Lakewood) leads the team in attack percentage (.452) and blocks (0.75) in addition to collecting 1.75 kills per set.
While both Cave and Jackson were named to the Rocket Invitational All-Tournament team, senior libero Lea Sack (Lincoln, Neb./Pius X) was selected as Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week after she earned Rocket Invitational MVP honors. Sack averaged 5.15 digs, 1.23 assists and 0.38 aces per set in Bradley's three victories in Toledo, Ohio.
Sack climbed six spots on Bradley's career digs list during the opening weekend of play into 16th and is 67 digs from catching Briony Hammet for 15th on the all-time list.
The Braves are 48-30 (.615) when hosting an in-season tournament and this weekend's event marks the 25th time in the last 32 years Bradley will host an in-season tournament. The CEFCU Classic kicks off a stretch in which Bradley plays eight of the next 11 matches and 11 of the next 16 at Renaissance Coliseum.
Season tickets for Bradley Volleyball are available at the Bradley Athletics Ticket Office in Renaissance Coliseum for $40 for adults and $20 for children. Single-game tickets for Bradley Volleyball are $6 for adults, $3 for children ages 14 and under and FREE for members of the Little Braves Club; Bradley University students, faculty and staff; and active members of the military and their immediate families, all by presenting valid identification at the Bradley Athletics Ticket Office in Renaissance Coliseum. Contact the Bradley Athletics Ticket Office at 309-677-2625 to purchase season tickets or for more information.
