PEORIA, Ill. – The Bradley Braves started their season with a sweep over St. Thomas, ending the 2024 CEFCU Invitational 1-2.
Game One
The Braves beat the Tommies in three sets on Friday. Senior
Silan Demirkol led the Braves in kills and service aces, collecting 10 and three respectively. In her first game wearing red and white, Freshman
Maria Drapp recorded 12 digs and 11 assists. Drapp ended the night with a .500 hitting percentage. In three sets, the team served up nine aces.
Game Two
Bradley lost in three sets to Southern Indiana. New Mexico Junior College transfer
Iva Popovic led the team in kills with 11. The Junior also recorded the second most digs with 17. Sophomore
Corrie Brown hoisted the team with her nine digs and 17 assists.
In her first weekend playing on the hilltop, Junior libero
Irene Mostardini led in digs each night, yet stabbed a high of 24 in just three sets on Saturday. To compare, Mostardini had 23 digs in five sets in the following match.
Game Three
The Braves and the Blue Demons had a battle on Sunday. The Blue Demons took the first two sets, as the Braves fought back to tie things up. DePaul couldn't pack their bags until they earned a tough fifth-set victory. Popovic led the team with 17 kills, as Drapp led the team in assists, collecting 28. Popovic also recorded four aces and 14 digs. Four Bradley players had 10 or more digs in the last game of the weekend, with Senior
Kaylenn Hunt slamming down 13.
COMING UP…
This weekend the Braves will travel to California for the UCI/Adidas Invitational. The first match will be on Friday, September 6 against The University of Portland. The Braves will also face Idaho State and UC Irvine in the Invitational.
