SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State got career defensive nights from Emily Butters, Gerri Idos and Leah Vokolek, but the visiting Bradley Braves found a way to capture a 3-1 win Saturday at Hammons Student Center.

The Bears fell to 7-8 overall and 0-2 in Missouri Valley Conference play, while Bradley (12-2, 2-0) built on its best start in school history after winning by set scores of 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 26-24. MSU rebounded from a similar 0-2 home start in 2016 to win the final 16 matches of Valley play for a regular season title.

Butters finished with 33 digs, tying the eighth-best single-match mark in school history and third-best in her career, and surpassing 30 digs for an MSU-record sixth time in her career. Vokolek (23) and Idos (15) also established career highs for digs, as the Bears finished with 99 on the night to help limit Bradley to .149 hitting.

Bradley led 17-12 in the first set after a 7-1 run, and the Bears rallied to tie at 20-all on a Vokolek ace but never took the lead, committing nine attack errors in the period to negate a three-kill advantage.

MSU jumped ahead 8-2 in the second set and never trailed, with Aubrey Cheffey's six kills in the set each seemingly thwarting Bradley comeback tries. The junior scored for a 23-21 lead, and Laynie Dake and Amelia Flynn teamed for the winning block three points later.

The third set was tied 10 times to 17-all, and Bradley went on a 3-0 run from that point to lead 20-17. Ashley Ophoven landed one of her 10 kills to pull the Bears to 22-21, but MSU never got closer.

Missouri State did not lead in the fourth set until Cheffey had two blocks and a kill in a 5-0 run for a 14-13 advantage. After Flynn's kill made it 16-14 Bears, Bradley scored three straight for a 17-16 lead. MSU tied the score five more times but never broke through, and a BU block ended the match.

Cheffey led the Bears with 13 kills, and Dake equaled career bests with 10 kills and six blocks. Chloe Rear had a career-high 49 assists.

Missouri State visits Loyola (10-4, 2-0) for a 5 p.m. Monday contest.