Last weekend, Bradley volleyball won its final two home games of the season against Missouri State and Southern Illinois, two of its MVC foes.
The Braves started against Missouri State on Nov. 8 and won 3-1. The first two sets were all Bradley, winning them 25-20 and 26-24, respectively. The Bears, however, shifted the momentum in the third set, winning by a commanding 11-point margin, 25-14. The Braves won the fourth set 25-20 and clinched the victory.
“I thought we played really well, and I liked the way that our team was resilient,” head coach Alicia Williams said. “We haven’t always been able to battle back once we lose in the way that we did in the third set, so I thought that it was good for our girls to regroup.”
Junior Iva Popovic led the team individually in three categories, totaling 19 kills, three aces and 15 digs. Senior Beste Ayhan led the team in blocks with five, and freshman Maria Drapp led the team in assists with 24. Junior Vitoria Oliveira put up 10 kills and three blocks, and senior Silan Demirkol totaled nine kills, nine digs and an ace.
“I think we started the match very well,” Popovic said. “We came in prepared, followed the game plan and were ready to win.”
Bradley continued their final homestand of the season Nov. 9 against Southern Illinois (10-15, 3-11 MVC). This October, the Braves traveled to Carbondale to take on the Salukis and won 3-0. Saturday’s result was similar as the Braves swept again, with scores of 25-9, 25-17 and 25-13, respectively. It was a great way to celebrate senior night, where after the game, they celebrated their four seniors, Demirkol, Ayhan, Karina Simatos and Kaylenn Hunt.
“Obviously, Senior Night comes with a little bit more internal motivation and drive,” Williams said. “But I thought we came out really fast and didn’t allow Southern Illinois to get under our skin at all. So, I think that we controlled the momentum throughout the entirety, which made it hard for them to push us much.”
Once again, Popovic led the team in kills with 14, totaling a block and six digs. Drapp led the team in assists again with 18. Simatos had the most aces with three. Hunt finished the game with a team-leading four blocks, and junior Irene Mostardini had 16 digs, also leading the team. Demirkol also had a great performance, totaling nine kills, a block, two assists, and 10 digs, while freshman Dakota Elliott put up eight kills and a block.
“That was our last home game of the season, so everyone was just so happy to play one last time this year,” Popovic said. “We were full of emotions and ready to bring home a win.”
As it was the team’s last homestand of the year, they gave their thoughts on their performance at the Renaissance Coliseum this season, especially after senior night.
“Winning always helps to motivate you when you have to go on the road the next weekend,” Williams said. “It also is really nice when we’re doing Senior Night when we’re talking to all the parents, and we get to be excited and celebrate what just happened. And I just think it motivates us going into this weekend.”
“I can tell this season was full of successes and failures,” Popovic said. “I am glad that I had an opportunity to play here and bring my play in this environment. It was one great experience.”
Bradley has three more games this season, including this weekend, where they will take on Murray State and Belmont. When the Braves played against both teams at Renaissance Coliseum this season, they won both matches in a close fifth set.
“It’s always harder to win on the road, so we know we have a tough couple of days ahead of us,” Williams said. “We just need to be clean on our side since first contact is really important, whether that’s a serve or a pass. So, we’re trying not to think about what happened the last time we played them, but more so just making sure that we’re not giving them easy points because we’re not focused and prepared to execute on our side.”
“I am looking forward to [hopefully] winning in the upcoming weekend,” Popovic said. “We are aware of the importance of the next three games that we have left and will be ready to give everything we can to win.”
Bradley will hope to improve on its 8-7 conference record and its 13-14 overall record this weekend against two teams that should put up a good fight.
