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Recruits land on Hilltop

Continuing from last week’s story, here is a look at the new recruits from the soccer and volleyball teams.
Soccer
After losing some key players to graduation, including defender Joe Donoho, last year’s Missouri Valley Conference Tournament hero, as well as the ever-important goal-keeper, Mike Haynes who gained an honorable mention from the MVC last year, it’s encouraging to see the soccer team’s off-season recruits already paying off this season.
With freshmen Bryan Gaul and Bobby Smith already receiving substantial starting time this year, and most of the freshmen class coming off the bench, things are not only looking good for right now, but for at least four years down the road as well.
Results have already been seen from many of the up-and-coming recruits with Gaul and Christian Meza, another freshman already scoring goals this season for the Braves. Gaul’s pair of goals is tied for second on the team for the young season.
Volleyball 
The volleyball team will be without three members of last season’s squad due to graduation, however they have picked up four new freshmen recruits to begin filling the gaps left by last year’s seniors, Nikki Pierzchala, Jenna Harrison and Eileen Hillary.
Losing these players placed a heavy responsibility on this year’s recruitment with Pierzchala leaving Bradley as the active career leader in matches played, kills and digs and Hillary 187 assists short of 1,000 in her career.
Incoming this year are freshmen Genevieve and Rachelle Dejean, Megan Schmidt and Annie Cave.
With optimistic results from Cave already, along with what looks to be another solid season for upperclassmen Sam Black and Amy Reichel the Braves will look to improve on their results from last season and build on some of the positives from Northern Illinois  on Friday against Creighton.
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