PEORIA, Ill. – Madeline Williams led the Sycamores with 12 kills and Damadj Johnson tallied seven blocks but Indiana State couldn't cool off a red-hot Bradley squad in a 3-1 loss in Peoria Friday night in Missouri Valley Conference action.
 
For Williams, it was just the second double-digit kill performance for the freshman and her most kills since putting down 14 against North Florida on Aug. 31. The freshman hitter posted a season-best .545 hitting percentage. For the Sycamores (7-9, 0-4 Missouri Valley), progress was shown with their first set win in conference play and a fourth-set battle that required extra points.
 
But Bradley (13-2, 3-0), in the midst of their best start in school history, won their seventh straight match in the four-set battle.
 
Indiana State's defense provided a challenge for the Bradley attack, registering 12 total blocks while two Sycamores, Laura Gross (24) and Jade York (23), both went over the 20-dig plateau with Gross posting a career-high mark.
 
Set scores were 25-18, 23-25, 25-15 and 26-24.
 
SET 1 – Bradley 25, Indiana State 18

• Damadj Johnson and Laura Gross each posted three kills.
• ISU hit .147 as a team while Bradley hit .300.
• Bradley led ISU in digs, 18-13.

SET 2 – Indiana State 25, Bradley 23

• Indiana State claimed its first set win in conference play this season.
• The frame featured seven ties and two lead changes.
• Indiana State rallied back from a 23-20 deficit, going on a 5-0 run to end the set.
• Madeline Williams served up an ace, was credited with three block assists and registered two kills in the set.
• The Sycamores registered eight blocks in the second set alone.

SET 3 – Bradley 25, Indiana State 15

• Madeline Williams recorded five kills in the set, hitting .625 (5-0-8). No other Sycamore hit above .250.
• ISU hit .171 as a team in the frame while Bradley hit .364.
• Bradley's Hannah Thompson recorded seven kills in the set to lead BU.
• Laura Gross led the Trees with seven digs in the set.

SET 4 – Bradley 26, Indiana State 24

• Bradley led 23-20 before ISU rallied to tie the set at 23-23 in a run that included two Rhiannon Morozoff kills.
• Morozoff, Madeline Williams and Laura Gross all led ISU with four kills in the set.
• Gross and Jade York each had eight digs in the set.
• Indiana State hit a competitive .260 in the set while Bradley hit .245.

NOTABLES

• The loss for Indiana State is just the second loss in the last nine matches for the Sycamores against Bradley. ISU is now 31-39 all-time against Bradley.
• This match marked just the second time this season – and first since facing Green Bay on Sept. 7 – that Indiana State has had two players register 20-plus digs.
• Friday's contest marked just the second time this year that freshman Madeline Williams had posted double-digit kills.
• Laura Gross was credited with a career-high 24 digs.
• Makayla Knoblauch registered a career-high three block assists.

 
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