Sept. 29, 2012

Box Score

PEORIA, Ill.-- Behind 12 kills on .476 hitting from Andrea Beaty and a career-high nine blocks from Amber Doolittle, Missouri State defeated Bradley 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-19) Saturday evening in Missouri Valley Conference volleyball action in Peoria, Ill.

Missouri State (9-8, 4-2 MVC) used a 4-0 run to grab an early 8-4 lead in the first, but struggled to put the Braves (6-10, 0-5) away until late. Bradley tied at 9-9 and 10-10 before committing three consecutive attack errors to make it 13-10 in favor of the Bears. Bradley pulled with two points six times and cut the lead to one on two occasions, both of which were met by Beaty kills. Beaty's second kill made it 20-18 and sparked a 6-0 run that closed the set for MSU, as the junior finished with five kills on five swings.

Bradley took its first lead of the match at 8-7 in the second, but that was quickly met with a 5-0 MSU run as Beaty and Doolittle combined for two blocks, Beaty landed a kill and Shelby Strang served consecutive aces for a 12-8 Missouri State advantage. The Braves pulled no closer than 15-13 after that, and Christine McCartney and Kaitlin Jaeger combined for a block around a kill by each player for the final three points.

The Bears ripped off a 7-1 run capped by two Beaty kills for a 13-7 lead, and Beaty added another for a 15-11 advantage after committing her first error of the match after 11 kills. Missouri State scored two points after the Braves pulled to 19-17 and went ahead 24-18 before McCartney's kill ended it.

Jaeger shared match-high honors with Beaty with 12 kills as the Bears hit .261 to Bradley's .161. Beaty played a part in half of MSU's 12 blocks, and Ashley Mason had 13 digs. Carly Thomas recorded a double-double with 34 assists and 12 digs.

Missouri State begins a four-match homestand next Friday (Oct. 5) at 7 p.m. against Indiana State.