PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley Volleyball will travel to the state of Texas for the first time in over 20 years, opening the 2019 season at the SMU Doubletree Invitational in Dallas, Texas, Friday and Saturday.
After a historic 2018 campaign, Bradley (24-9 overall in 2018) will make its first trip to the Lone Star State dating back to 1997 and just the third trip to Texas in program history.
The Braves face tournament host SMU (12-16 overall in 2018) Friday at 12:30 p.m. in the latest season opener since 2013 and return to the court later that day for a 5 p.m. match against Stephen F. Austin (32-3 overall in 2018). Both opponents are first-time foes for Bradley with Stephen F. Austin marking the first of 11 matches in 2019 against teams which reached the post-season last year after the Ladyjacks advanced to the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
The opening weekend of competition concludes Saturday with an 11 a.m. match against Texas San-Antonio (19-8 overall in 2018) in the first meeting between the two squads since the Braves topped the Roadrunners in 1995 in a tournament at Arkansas State.
A free video stream of Friday's match vs. SMU will be available and BradleyBraves.com will provide links to live stats for all three contests.
Bradley's last trip to Texas kicked off the 1997 season at the North Texas Tournament in Denton, Texas and the Braves also ventured to the Lone Star State in 1987 for a neutral site match against Baylor in addition to contests at Houston, Texas A&M and Lamar. Of Bradley's eight previous matches played in Texas, six have been against teams from the Lone Star State.
The 2019 season will mark the 46th year of intercollegiate competition for Bradley Volleyball. The Braves have won their season opener in eight of the last 10 seasons dating back to 2008 after a sweep of Hampton to kick off the 2019 campaign. Overall, Bradley is 25-20 in seasons openers. The Braves will be starting a season away from home for the sixth consecutive year and 31st time overall. Bradley is 6-8 when opening a season with a true road match.
Bradley went 5-1 in neutral site matches last year, earning the most neutral site victories since posting an 8-4 mark in 1988. The Braves have finished .500 or better in neutral site matches in nine of the last 10 years. In fact, Bradley owns an 11-6 record in neutral matches under 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year Carol Price-Torok. Over the last 10 seasons, Bradley has combined for a 28-16 neutral site mark.
Last season's 14-win improvement from 2017, which was tied for the second best improvement in the country, continued a trend for Bradley with the Braves posting an improved record in each of the last four years. Bradley has not had four consecutive seasons with an improved win total since a five-year stretch from 1990 through the 1994 campaign. The Braves earned their ninth 20-win season in program history, with the 24-9 record in 2018 marking the seventh when playing a full NCAA Division I schedule.
Defense was a big reason for Bradley's success last year and has been part of the reason for the team's improvement over the last three seasons under Price-Torok. Last year, Bradley ranked second in the nation in digs per set (19.76) in addition to checking in at 36th in the country in opponent hitting percentage (.166). Last year's 19.76 digs per set is the second-highest average in school history behind only the 20.38 digs per set by the 1985 squad. The Braves ranked 11th nationally in digs per set in 2017 and been in the top 90 in the country each of Price-Torok's three seasons on The Hilltop. Prior to Price-Torok assuming the coaching duties at Bradley in 2016, the Braves were 210th in digs per set and 315th in opponent hitting percentage in 2015.
Bradley will follow up the trip to Texas by hosting the CEFCU Invitational Sept. 6 & 7 at Renaissance Coliseum. The Braves face Belmont Friday, September 6 (12:30 p.m.) in the home opener and will also face Oakland (Sept. 6 - 7 p.m.) and DePaul (Saturday, Sept. 7 - 2 p.m.) during the first of two home tournaments on the schedule.
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