PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley never traileden route to an opening set win, but Wichita State used six aces and 12 blocks over the next three sets to come from behind and rally for a 20-25, 25-13, 25-16, 25-18 road victory against the Braves in Missouri Valley Conference volleyball action Friday at Renaissance Coliseum.
The Braves (6-9 overall, 0-4 MVC) used a balanced attack and owned a 20-15 advantage in digs in a 25-20 first set victory. Bradley led by as many as eight points in the opener with junior Alise Tupuritis (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West) capping an 8-2 BU run with three consecutive kills to give her squad a 21-13 lead. The Shockers got no closer than four points down the stretch as the Braves took an early lead in the match behind the 25-20 win.
Wichita State (10-4 overall, 4-1 MVC) came alive in the second set, hitting .303 in the stanza after Bradley held the Shockers to a .122 attack percentage in first frame. The Braves trailed 5-1 early on and the Shockers pulled away down the stretch, closing out a 25-13 victory with an 8-2 spurt.
Ashley Andrade collected five blocks to go along with five kills on just seven swings in the third set to help highlight a 25-16 Wichita State win. Like the second set, the Shockers held a 5-1 advantage early in the contest and never trailed. Bradley pulled within two points (9-7) on an Allie Falter (Lincoln, Neb./Pius X) kill, but Wichita State answered with a 6-1 run to go ahead 15-8. Andrade notched three of her match-high 10 blocks in the closing moments to help the Shockers take the set 25-16.
Wichita State continued its strong play at the net in the fourth set, tallying six blocks and closed out the match with a 25-18 victory. Bradley pulled within striking distance at 19-15 on an Amy Angelos (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan) kill, but Elizabeth Field notched a kill and block to help spark a 5-1 Shockers spurt to set up match point at 24-16 and Wichita State later claimed the match on a BU attack error.
Tupuritis led Bradley with nine kills and also had eight digs in the loss, while Angelos and senior Madelyn Ervin (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy) each added eight kills. Junior Lauren Zerante (Elmhurst, Ill./York) collected a team-best 21 digs to help highlight BU's defensive efforts.
Emily Adney paced Wichita State with 14 kills and libero Jackie Church served up three aces to go with a match-high 24 digs. Shocker setter Chelsey Feekin turned in a triple-double, tallying 10 kills, 37 assists and 13 digs.
Bradley closes out a two-match home stand Saturday with a 7 p.m. match against Missouri State at Renaissance Coliseum.
