Toledo, Ohio – The Bradley Braves opened the 2026 season with a 2-1 weekend in Toledo, picking up victories over Binghamton and Oakland while falling to host Toledo.
Match One – Binghamton
Bradley defeated Binghamton 25-19, 25-12, 25-20 behind a strong offensive performance. The Braves hit .346 as a team with 51 kills while holding Binghamton to a .114 attack percentage.
Gracie Furlong led Bradley with 14 kills and a .481 attack percentage. Adeline Goedheer added 10 kills, hit .529 and recorded four block assists. Maria Drapp finished with 38 assists and 11 digs, while Erini Bitsaktsi led the defense with 13 digs.
After Binghamton took an early lead in the third set, Bradley rallied and closed the match with a 25-20 victory.
Match Two – Toledo
Bradley fell to Toledo 25-18, 25-19, 26-24 despite a strong effort in the final set.
Chloe Parker led the Braves with 10 kills and hit .296. Bitsaktsi recorded a match-high 22 digs, while Drapp added 23 assists and eight digs. Goedheer contributed four blocks, and Cherlin Antonio finished with five kills.
Bradley led 23-20 in the third set and reached set point at 24-23, but Toledo scored the final three points to complete the sweep.
Match Three – Oakland
Bradley closed the weekend with a five-set thriller, defeating Oakland 25-21, 25-16, 24-26, 17-25, 15-12 to finish the opening weekend with a 2-1 record. The Braves totaled 61 kills and 13 blocks while holding Oakland to a .155 attack percentage.
Furlong led Bradley with 18 kills and added 10 digs for a double-double. Drapp recorded 52 assists, 19 digs and two service aces, while Bitsaktsi led the Braves with 23 digs. Goedheer controlled the net with seven total blocks, including three solo blocks, and added eight kills. Antonio added eight kills while hitting .412.
Bradley took the first two sets before Oakland responded to force a decisive fifth. The Braves grabbed a 9-5 advantage in the final set and maintained the lead, but Oakland battled back to make it 13-12. Lauren Dale answered with a kill to give Bradley match point before an Oakland attack error sealed the 15-12 victory.
Coming up…
The Braves will be back in action on the road at the South Dakota State Invitational on Friday, September 4, at 10 AM against Northern Arizona University.
