NORMAL, Ill. – Bradley received double-doubles from junior setter Hannah Angeli and freshman Hannah Thompson, while senior Erica Haslag had a match-high 14 kills; but I-74 rival Illinois State held off the Braves 25-17, 25-17, 18-25, 24-26 Monday night at Redbird Arena.
Bradley (16-5 overall, 6-3 MVC) entered the match one game behind Illinois State (16-5 overall, 8-1 MVC) in the Missouri Valley Conference standings and had a chance to move into a tie with the Redbirds for second in the league standings. The Braves sit alone in third place at the halfway point of the MVC regular-season schedule at 6-3.
Haslag tied for match-high honors with 14 kills, while Thompson turned in her team-best 11th double-double of the year (13 kills & 14 digs). Angeli also turned in a double-double with 29 assists and 12 digs to go with seven kills to lead Bradley. Senior Yavianliz Rosado paced the BU defensive efforts with a team-best 27 digs to pace four Braves in double figures in digs.
Bradley hung with the Redbirds early in the first, before Illinois State used a late surge to take the opener 25-17. The Braves led 11-9 on an Angeli kill only to have ISU answer with five consecutive points to go in front 14-11. The deficit was three (20-17) after the fourth kill of the set by Sara Maddox, but Illinois State rattled off the next five points to win the first set.
The Redbirds scored the first four points of the second set and jumped out to an early 7-1 lead. ISU extended the advantage to as many as 12 points (17-5). Junior Kathryn Graf had back-to-back kills during a 6-1 Bradley run which eventually helped the Braves pull within six at 19-13. Bradley got no closer down the stretch as Illinois State took the second set 25-17.
After struggling offensively in the first two sets, Bradley hit .333 in the third set; tallying 16 kills with just one hitting error. Haslag collected five of her 14 kills in the third, while Thompson added four kills in the set. With Bradley hanging on to a 17-14 advantage, Thompson had back-to-back kills to spark a 4-0 run which included a Kat Poore ace and Angeli kill. An Illinois State attack error later gave Bradley set point at 24-18 and an ace by senior Abby Ihrke capped a 25-18 BU victory.
The fourth set was the most competitive of the night with 14 ties and six lead changes. Bradley rallied from as many as four down (12-8) to pull even at 14-14 on a block by Graf and Haslag. A kill by Poore later gave the Braves a 17-16 edge and Bradley would hold a 21-20 advantage on a Haslag kill. The Bradley lead was 23-22 following Poore's third kill of the fourth, but the Redbirds did not go quietly.
Illinois State held match point at 24-23 after an Ali Line kill and ace by Lexi Wallen. Thompson, who had six kills and seven digs in the fourth, knotted things up again at 24-24 with her 13th kill of the night for the Braves. A BU error and Illinois State block ended the match, however, as the Redbirds took the fourth 26-24.
Bradley returns to Renaissance Coliseum, hosting Missouri State Friday in a 7 p.m. match to open the second half of the MVC schedule. It will be $1 hot dog night for Friday's match up with the Bears and the Braves will have a post-match autograph session following the contest.
