Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Bradley University Athletics

Share:
0
Belmont BEL 1-4
3
Winner Bradley BRAD 1-3
Belmont BEL
1-4
0
Final
3
Bradley BRAD
1-3
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Belmont BEL 11 22 18 (0)
Bradley BRAD 25 25 25 (3)
Huddle
Duane Zehr

Braves Sweep Belmont In Home Opener

Share:

Story Links

Game Recap: Volleyball |
PEORIA, Ill. -- Sophomores Hannah Thompson and Rachel Pranger each turned in double-doubles to help Bradley Volleyball to a 25-11, 25-22, 25-18 sweep of Belmont Friday afternoon at Renaissance Coliseum to open play at the 2019 CEFCU Invitational as the Braves picked up their first win of the season. 
 
Thompson notched a season-best 17 kills, while hitting at a .424 clip, and also collected two aces and 11 digs for her second straight double-double and the 22nd of her career.  Pranger recorded the first double-double of her career, finishing with 10 kills to go with a career-best 14 digs. 
 
Bradley (1-3 overall) held Belmont to an .087 hitting percentage with freshman Serena Sparks coming up with a match-high 16 digs to help spark the Bradley defensive efforts as she helped Bradley extend its non-conference home win streak to 11 consecutive matches. 
 
Thompson collected six of her 17 kills in the opening set, compared to just five kills for Belmont (1-4 overall) in the first as she helped Bradley cruise to a 25-11 win.  Thompson and sophomore Lida Kastanou each had a pair of kills during a 4-0 Bradley spurt which put the Braves in front 5-2.  A 12-0 BU run put the set out of reach.  Thompson sandwiched kills around back-to-back kills from Pranger to start the decisive run.  A pair of Thompson aces along with four Belmont errors helped push the Bradley advantage to 18-4.  Thompson's sixth kill of the opening frame later closed out the 25-11 Bradley victory.
 
The Braves never trailed in the second set, but had to use a late push.  Senior Maggie Revell helped highlight an early 8-1 run with a kill and two blocks as Bradley jumped out to a 9-2 edge.  Belmont chipped away at the BU advantage, however, and pulled to within two points several times down the stretch.  The Braves eventually held set point at 24-21 on a block by Kastanou and freshman Karagan Coggin.  Thompson chased a Belmont kill with one of her own to cap a 25-22 win for Bradley.
 
Thompson had her strongest set of the match in the third, pounding home three kills in the first eight points as she helped power the Braves to an early 7-2 lead.  Belmont got no closer than four points the rest of the way as Bradley hit .378 in the frame to complete the sweep with a 25-18 victory.   Thompson had seven kills with no errors on 12 swings in the third-set victory. 
 
Earlier in the day, Oakland posted a four-set victory over DePaul in the opening match of the 2019 CEFCU Invitational.
 
Tournament action continues this afternoon with DePaul facing Belmont at 4:30 p.m. and Bradley taking on Oakland in a 7 p.m. contest at Renaissance Coliseum. 

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

Players Mentioned

Rachel Pranger

#21 Rachel Pranger

OH
5' 11"
Sophomore
Maggie Revell

#5 Maggie Revell

MB
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Hannah Thompson

#6 Hannah Thompson

OH
5' 8"
Sophomore
Serena Sparks

#1 Serena Sparks

L/DS
5' 2"
Freshman
Karagan Coggin

#3 Karagan Coggin

RS/MB
6' 2"
Freshman
Lida Kastanou

#23 Lida Kastanou

RS
6' 2"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Rachel Pranger

#21 Rachel Pranger

5' 11"
Sophomore
OH
Maggie Revell

#5 Maggie Revell

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
MB
Hannah Thompson

#6 Hannah Thompson

5' 8"
Sophomore
OH
Serena Sparks

#1 Serena Sparks

5' 2"
Freshman
L/DS
Karagan Coggin

#3 Karagan Coggin

6' 2"
Freshman
RS/MB
Lida Kastanou

#23 Lida Kastanou

6' 2"
Sophomore
RS