Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Nashville, Tenn. - The Bradley Braves (8-15, 4-7 MVC) had a challenging road slate to prepare for this weekend. Entering Friday's match with Murray State (9-12, 5-6 MVC), the Braves were one of two Missouri Valley teams to, at the time, not have won a true road match. The Braves dropped a four-set match to the Racers, but were able to turn the page with a four-set win at Belmont (7-17, 3-8 MVC) on Saturday night. 

ABOUT THE MURRAY STATE MATCH
Bradley certainly got off to a competitive start with the Racers on Friday. The first set, all the way to its eventual 26-24 set score, never saw a lead for either team of more than two points. Murray State did take a 23-21 lead, before back-to-back kills from Doga Topcicek and Kendall Minta tied the set at 23-23. The Racers would force set point on a Braves attack error, but Silan Demirkol would tie it right back up at 24-24. Consecutive kills by the hosts ended the set.

The second set was, as evident by the set win, Bradley's most complete set of the match. A 5-1 run to start the set was capped by an ace from Carlee Camlin. That lead got as big as 10-3 on an attack error by the Racers. Murray State stormed back to force a 20-20 tie, but Bradley rattled off five straight points on two Topcicek kills and three Racer attack errors for a 25-20 set win.

Ah yes, nip-and-tuck volleyball - there you are. The third set was right back to where the match started. Bradley held leads at 1-0 (Topcicek kill) and 2-1 (attack error), but despite the close score, the Braves never led in the set again. Bradley's last 'true' point of the set came on a Topcicek kill at 18-13 Murray State. From there, the Racers out-scored Bradley 7-2, including five consecutive points from 20-14 to 24-14. Murray State went ahead two sets to one on a service error.

Riding momentum and a pair of set wins by close margins, the Racers took control early. Two attack errors by the Braves were among a 3-0 start. Bradley wasn't about to back down just yet. A kill from Demirkol brought the Braves within 9-8 before Murray State committed three consecutive attack errors in route to a 11-9 Bradley lead. Karagan Coggin picked up a kill to put the Braves in front 20-19, and an attack error made it 23-22 Bradley.

Just when the attack errors had been Murray State's biggest foe, they quickly became their biggest friend. Of the last three points of the match scored by the hosts, two were attack errors.

ABOUT THE BELMONT MATCH
The Braves definitely came to play on Saturday in the Music City. Play volleyball, not music of course - maybe a bit of both. Nonetheless, the hosts actually came out firing on all cylinders, to the tune of a 7-1 run, including four kills and two aces. Bradley would get within 7-5, but that would be the closest they'd get for the set. Belmont continued the theme of runs with three kills and two aces (all consecutive) to conclude a 25-14 set win. 

It seemed as if the match could've been heading towards a 2-0 Bruins lead. A 4-1 run had Belmont in control early. From that point, Bradley was able to chip away, bit-by-bit, and work the set down to a couple points apart. A kill from Abby Johnson gave the Braves their first lead of the set at 15-14. The Bruins, meanwhile, would come back and tie the set two separate times, but Bradley never lost their lead. An attack error by Belmont tied the match up at a set apiece with a 25-23 set win for the Braves. 

Momentum. That's been said already - about Friday. Saturday, it was Bradley's turn. Feeling good after the set win, the Braves rolled out a dominant start to the third set, getting a lead as big as 10-2 on a kill from Kendall Minta. The Bruins got within three points, but this was the Braves' set to win. Kills from Silan Demirkol, Karagan Coggin, Doga Topcicek, and McKenna Scheib, not to mention three assists on that stretch from Carlee Camlin, put Bradley ahead 24-15. Demirkol would put Bradley ahead 2-1 on a kill set up by Camlin for a 25-16 set win.

There's not too many better feelings than having momentum in a match, except for maybe more momentum. Bradley had another convincing start to a set, going on 9-1 on an ace from Karagan Coggin. Once again, Belmont would get close, 11-10 Bradley in fact, but the difference this time around was that the Bruins never were able to tie the set. The Braves were the first to 15 on an ace from Karina Simatos, and the first to 20 on a kill from Abby Johnson. 

The first true road win of 2022 came on an ace from Silan Demirkol, who'd gotten a kill on the previous point. 

SHE SAID IT - QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH ALICIA WILLIAMS
On the Braves' performance versus Murray State on Friday
"I felt like it was a lot of back and forth. It was a lot of defense. It put a lot of stress and pressure on the hitters to make sure they kept the ball in."

On the improved attacking effort from Friday to Saturday, specifically Kendall Minta, Abby Johnson, and Doga Topcicek
"Those three all took turns lighting the spark at different times. It goes to show that Carlee spread the ball really well today. It starts with a good pass."

On rebounding from an 11-point first set loss on Saturday
"Our scouting report was a little different. It was a little harder to read them, and I feel like we got caught off guard."

On her seeing the team's ability to adjust on the fly
"I think my coaching staff and I have always been pretty confident. The three of us see the game pretty well. It was nice to see that our girls made the in-match adjustments. That's the thing I was most proud of them for doing."

On what the team's vibes are going into another home weekend
"I feel like each week we're staying a little bit more consistent. Win or lose, we're feeling more like ourselves. We just need to respect those teams (Southern Illinois, Missouri State) and scout them really well, because we only get one shot at them."

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BRAVES
vs. Southern Illinois Salukis (14-9, 7-4 MVC)
Friday, October 28th - 6PM First Serve
@ Renaissance Coliseum - Peoria, Ill.
*Camper Kids Day - Details to Come*
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