Bradley University Athletics

Balanced Effort In Loss To UTSA

Duane Zehr

Box Score

Volleyball 8/31/2019 1:52:00 PM

Box Score DALLAS, Texas – Sophomore Hannah Thompson was one of three Bradley players with 12 or more kills, collecting a team-high 15 kills without a hitting error, but UTSA rallied to top the Braves 17-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-16 Saturday at the Doubletree Invitational.

Thompson turned in her first double-double of the year as she finished with team highs of 15 kills and 19 digs to go with three blocks. Her 15 kills are the second-most in program history without a hitting error in a match behind only Kelsey Cave's 19 kills without an error from Sept. 16, 2016.

Sophomore Lida Kastanou added a season-best 14 kills of her own in the setback, while fellow sophomore Rachel Pranger joined the duo in double figures with 12 kills. Sophomore Hailey Delacher notched her second double-double of the young season with 14 assists and a career-best 14 digs.

Bradley hit .366 in the first frame and cruised to a 25-17 win behind a balanced effort which saw six Braves collecting at least two kills. Kastanou helped highlight the opening set by tallying five kills on just seven swings, while Thompson added three kills and nine digs in the first. Pranger helped spark a 5-1 BU spurt with a kill and Kastanou and freshman Karagan Coggin each added kills of their own during the run as Bradley built a 22-14 advantage. Kastanou later capped the 25-17 win for the Braves with her fifth kill of the set.

The Roadrunners heated up in the second set, hitting .351 in the frame and evened the match at one set each with a 25-19 victory. UTSA led from the start, but the Braves cut a six-point deficit midway through to three points on a pair of occasions down the stretch. Kastanou added three kills on three swings to help highlight Bradley's offensive efforts in the second.

UTSA's Hannah Lopez, who collected a match-high 24 kills on the day, found the floor with 10 kills to help her squad to a 25-22 win in the third. Thompson answered with six third-set kills of her own for the Braves. Bradley led 14-12 midway through, before a 4-0 UTSA spurt put the Roadrunners ahead 16-14. UTSA went on to capture a 25-22 victory.

Lopez continued to carry the load offensively in the fourth, notching seven more kills without an error as she helped UTSA close out the match with a 25-16 win. The Roadrunners hit .341 in the fourth.

Bradley hosts the first of two home tournaments next weekend, opening the 2019 CEFCU Invitational Friday with a 12:30 p.m. match against Belmont at Renaissance Coliseum.

To receive Bradley Volleyball news updates in your email, register HERE.

Print Friendly Version