Valparaiso VALPO 8-13, 3-4 MVC

Bradley BRAD 9-9, 5-2 MVC

Valparaiso VALPO

8-13, 3-4 MVC

Final

Oct. 18, 2019

Bradley BRAD

9-9, 5-2 MVC

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	F
Valparaiso VALPO	19	22	22	(0)
Bradley BRAD	25	25	25	(3)

Box Score

Duane Zehr

Volleyball Sweeps Valparaiso

Box Score

Game Recap: Volleyball | 10/18/2019 8:15:00 PM

PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley used a balanced offensive attack and came up with 12 blocks as the Braves earned their first sweep of the year in Missouri Valley Conference play with a 25-19, 25-22, 25-22 victory over Valparaiso Friday at Renaissance Coliseum.

Sophomores Hannah Thompson and Rachel Pranger along with junior Sara Maddox led the way for Bradley (9-9 overall, 5-2 MVC) with eight kills each. Six different Braves recorded at least five kills in the sweep of Valparaiso (8-13 overall, 3-4 MVC) to help BU hold onto a share of third in the Valley standings.

The Braves forced 27 Valparaiso attack errors, collecting 12 total blocks and held the Crusaders to an .015 attack percentage. Freshman Raeann Bergman had a match and season-high seven blocks to go with her five kills, while fellow freshman Karagan Coggin added five kills and five blocks of her own.

Maddox had the most efficient offensive night for Bradley, hitting .263 and also matched a career-best with four blocks. Pranger finished with eight kills and 15 digs. Thompson collected 12 digs to go with her eight kills as she had her school record for consecutive double-doubles snapped at 15.

Bradley took an early lead in the first set and used a 3-0 spurt midway through to open up a 14-8 advantage. Sophomore Kat Poore, who had three kills in the opener, highlighted the run with a kill. A block by Bergman and Maddox along with a Pranger ace would later help highlight a 6-1 BU run which extended the lead to 22-13. The Braves held set point at 24-15 on a Valpo error, but the Crusaders were able to fight off four set points before Coggin capped a 25-19 Bradley win with her first kill of the night.

After hitting .061 in the first set, Bradley had kills on five of its first six swings of the second and once again jumped out to the early lead. Back-to-back Thompson kills gave the Braves an 11-6 edge and forced the first Valparaiso timeout of the frame. The Crusaders were within two at 19-17, when a 3-0 spurt gave Bradley a 22-17 advantage. Junior Emma Raleigh followed a Maddox kill with an ace and Valpo had an error. A Coggin block later gave Bradley set point at 24-18. Just like the first set, Valparaiso would fight off four set points to pull within two at 24-22 and Coggin would seal a 25-22 victory with her third kill of the set.

Valparaiso was the team to jump out to the early lead in the third, building an 11-6 lead. Bradley answered with four consecutive kills, with Pranger notching a pair as the Braves quickly cut the deficit to one at 11-10. Pranger added two more kills during another 4-0 Bradley spurt which put the Braves out front 16-14. Valparaiso recovered, however, and took a 17-16 lead after back-to-back blocks.

Maddox, who had four kills in the fourth, keyed another 4-0 BU spurt with back-to-back kills and a block by the combo of Bergman and Thompson gave Bradley a 20-17 edge. The Braves never allowed the lead to dip below two down the stretch, taking match point at 24-20 on a block by Coggin and Poore. Valpo stayed alive with back-to-back points, before a Crusader error gave Bradley the set 25-22 to complete the sweep.

Bradley is 5-2 to start Valley play for the second consecutive year, marking the first time the Braves had consecutive 5-2 starts to league play since 2001 and 2002.

A two-match home stand concludes Saturday with Bradley hosting second-place Loyola in a 5 p.m. match at Renaissance Coliseum. The Braves will host a free post-game youth clinic open to children ages 6-14 immediately following Saturday's contest.

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