A big weekend lies ahead for the Bradley volleyball squad after surpassing the midway point of Missouri Valley Conference play.
The Braves enter this weekend 6-4 with a conference record and tied with Illinois State for third. They continue their four-game road trip at Illinois State and Evansville with matches that are crucial for potential postseason play.
“For us, it is business as usual, getting prepared and controlling what we can control,” head coach Carol Price-Torok said.
Sophomore outside hitter Hannah Thompson noted this part of the season is when things get to be a grind.
“Everyone is still trying to find a balance because all of our bodies are tired … finding a way to get through practices, get through games, and get these big wins on the road is our mentality,” Thompson said.
The Braves defeated Illinois State in five sets on Oct. 4 and will match up with Evansville for the first time this season on Monday. Price-Torok noted that the match against Evansville will be a difficult task for the team.
“They’re a tough team,” Price-Torok said. “They play a really quick style of volleyball that seems kind of chaotic.”
This pivotal weekend comes off the heels of mixed results last weekend. The Braves fell to Missouri State last Friday night in five sets, followed by a sweep of Southern Illinois the following night. Price-Torok said the team was error-prone in the loss to Missouri State.
“We didn’t serve as well as we wanted to which made it a little easier for them,” Price-Torok said. “I thought we managed really well throughout the match to get to five sets.”
In the fifth set Missouri State leading 4-3, rallied off four straight points and never looked back.
Sophomore outside hitters Thompson and Rachel Pranger each turned in double doubles in the Southern Illinois match. It was the fourth time this season and second time in a week that the Braves swept an opponent.
Despite the mixed results and a crucial weekend ahead, confidence remains high throughout the team.
“I think we’re doing a lot of good things and know the areas we need to improve on … and have confidence in ourselves that we can keep getting better, even though we are still doing a lot of good things right now,” Thompson said.
Thompson credited the youth of the team for keeping the energy positive as the season winds down.
“It brings a lot of momentum going into these matches when the season gets long and we need that extra boost of energy,” Thompson said.
Down the stretch, outside noise tends to become more constant. Nevertheless, the team is fixated on getting to the tournament as the last half of the season begins.
“Once you’re there, everybody is 0-0,” Thompson said. “It’s a fresh plate to make a run in the postseason.”
First serve is scheduled at 6 p.m. tonight at Illinois State. Monday’s match in Evansville is also scheduled at 6 p.m.
