The Bradley women’s volleyball team finally got over a winless hurdle with its Missouri Valley Conference win last Friday against Evansville, to improve to 1-11 in conference.
The first set was a nail-biter, including nine lead changes and 17 ties until Evansville eventually took control. Early on in the second, Bradley took a 10-4 advantage. The Braves put on a clinic for the rest of the set, closing out the set 25-16 to tie the match at one set each. Freshman Allison Turner had seven kills to help the Braves take the second.
Bradley led in third set but could not gain the one set advantage. The Braves trailed in the fourth but were able to get themselves back into the set despite being down 12-7. Freshman Erica Haslag inspired a 6-0 run when Bradley needed it most with sequential kills to put the Braves up 13-12, and ulitmately was able to take the fourth to force a decisive fifth set.
The Braves jumped out on top in the final set with Turner leading the way, but the Purple Aces did not go down without a fight. Although Evansville had a good run, the Braves were able to take the match 15-13 and improve to 4-1 in five-set matches on the year and to take their first conference win
A handful of players stood out during the match against Evansville, as four Bradley players had double digit kills.
Haslag led all with 22, Kelsey Cave had 15, Allison Murphy had 14, and Cordelia Murphy had 11. Afton Sobasky also had an outstanding game, racking up 64 assists, 11 digs, three blocks and three kills. That was the most assists in a single match since 2004.
The next day, the team remained in Renaissance Coliseum to take on Southern Illinois. Haslag turned in a double-double for the second consecutive game.
The Braves won the second set in dominant fashion, hitting .368 percent on the set while holding the Salukis to a match low .258 hitting percentage.
However, that would be the only set the Braves took as the Salukis overpowered the home team 3-1.
The Braves go on the road for four of the last six games of the season, as they look to build on their lone conference win.
