The Scout Online

Six seniors ended their college tennis careers at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in Wichita, Kan., on a sour note as the women and men’s tennis teams went a combined 1-8.

Coach Scott Petersen put things in perspective when he referred to his trio of graduating women.

“Overall, as people they have shown caring and compassion for their teammates, the community and the university,” he said.

The lone victory came not from a senior, but the up-and-coming freshman Eric Nguyen. Following a victory in the regular season finale that required a tiebreaker, Nguyen was able to transfer his momentum and control both sets 6-2, 6-1, against Drake’s Ryan Drake.

For the second time this season, the Bradley baseball team fell to in-state rival Illinois 8-5 in Champaign. 

The two teams met on April 6 in Peoria with Illinois coming out victorious by just a run with a score 11-10.

Illinois jumped all over sophomore pitcher Jacob Booden in the bottom of the first inning. The Fighting Illini scored three runs on four hits to take an early 3-0 lead.

The Braves answered in the top of the second when sophomore designated hitter Brad Kimball hit a two-run homerun to bring Bradley within a run at 3-2. The homerun was Kimball’s fifth on the season and his third in two games.

While most students are struggling to make it to the end of the semester, the women’s track team has a little more on its plate.

“The next two-and-a-half weeks are the most challenging part of our competitive year,” said coach David Beauchem.

For the ladies on the squad, it’s different from the cross-country season in the fall.