VU Volleyball Bounces Back With Sweep of Bradley

by | Nov 5, 2017 | RRSN News | 0 comments

Volleyball Bounces Back With Sweep of Bradley

 

The Valparaiso University volleyball team rolled to a key Missouri Valley Conference victory over Bradley Saturday evening at the ARC, downing the Braves in straight sets (25-17, 25-17, 25-16).

 

How It Happened

–          After committing three attack errors in the first eight points of the match, Valpo would commit just one more in the first set.

–          Bradley was ahead early 7-4, but after a service error returned the serve to the Crusaders, junior Katherine Carlson (Lake Orion, Mich./Notre Dame Prep) served eight straight points to put Valpo ahead 13-7. The Braves would get no closer than four points the rest of the way, with a setter dump from freshman Brittany Anderson (East Chicago, Ind./Bishop Noll) ending the set.

–          Valpo continued its strong presence on the attack in the second set, tallying 16 kills against just two errors on just 27 swings for a .519 hitting percentage in the frame. Freshman Peyton McCarthy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) picked up six kills alone in the set as the Crusaders took a 2-0 lead into the in-game break.

–          While the second set featured a strong Crusader offense, the defense took center stage in the third set as Valpo picked up four blocks and held Bradley to -.065 hitting for the frame. The Crusaders enjoyed just a two-point lead at 15-13 before closing the match on a 10-3 run, a stretch which featured three blocks – two solo – and two kills by senior Taylor Graboski (Upper Sandusky, Ohio/Upper Sandusky).

 

Inside the Match

–          Five of the Crusaders’ six MVC victories have come in straight sets.

–          Valpo posted another fine performance offensively Saturday, committing just 10 attack errors for the match as it hit at a .290 clip. It marks the fourth time in the last six matches the Crusaders have hit between .290 and .300 – the team’s top-four hitting percentages of the year.

–          Carlson and Graboski tied for team-high honors Saturday with 10 kills apiece – Carlson doing so on .333 hitting, while Graboski swung at a .450 clip.

–          McCarthy matched her career high as well with her third straight strong effort from the right side, tallying nine kills on .438 hitting.

–          Graboski led the defensive effort at the net as well, as she was part of six of the Crusaders’ seven blocks and registered four solo rejections.

–          The senior will enter next week with 1,155 career kills – eighth in program history and just nine shy of seventh – 348 career blocks – 10th in program history and three away from ninth place – and 57 solo blocks – eighth in program history and just one solo out of seventh position.

–          Anderson handed out 32 assists in the winning effort.

–          With few long rallies on Saturday, Valpo – which has led the nation in digs/set all season long – needed just 46 digs over the three sets to earn the win, its second-lowest output of the year.

–          No Crusader reached double figures in the category, as Carlson and junior Allison Ketcham (Mishawaka, Ind./Marian) picked up nine digs apiece.

 

Next Up

Valpo (15-13, 6-8 MVC) heads on the road next weekend for a pair of key conference matchups against squads just behind the Crusaders in the conference standings. The weekend opens Friday night at 7 p.m. at Evansville, with links for live coverage available at ValpoAthletics.com.

Related Stories

Andy Waddle Brings More Than Just Football to Valpo

When Valparaiso University hired Andy Waddle in December, it got more than simply a head football coach. Waddle won a lot of games over the last 12 seasons at Marietta College, but he’s far prouder of the lives that he has saved than the games that he has won. Waddle...

Crossroads League in the NAIA National Polls | April 7-13

JACKSON, Mich. – The NAIA recently announced its Top-25 Polls for the sports of men’s and women’s tennis and women’s golf. The Crossroads League had 13 teams ranked or receiving votes in those polls and now has 39 teams ranked inside the Top-25 for the 2024-2025 year....

Bethel Softball surrenders doubleheader to Mount Vernon Cougars

MISHAWAKA, Ind.--The Bethel Pilots (8-26, 3-17) fell to the Mount Vernon Nazarene Cougars (17-12, 10-10) on Thursday evening at Gardner Field. GAME ONE In the opening inning, the Cougars posted two runs on the board with a single to center by Skylar Zimmerman and a...

IUSB Baseball Completes Season Sweep of CCSJ

WHITING, Ind. - The Indiana University South Bend Baseball (13-23, 9-11 CCAC) team concluded their CCAC season series with Calumet College of St. Joseph (6-19, 3-13) Tuesday, winning both games of the doubleheader and and sweeping the series. IUSB won game one 10-6...

UCLA and Oregon Collect Big Ten Softball Weekly Awards

Bruins’ Grant and Ducks’ Sokolsky and Ma’ake receive weekly recognition Player of the Week Megan Grant, UCLA Jr. – UTL – San Bruno, Calif. – Aragon High School – Major: Sociology Led UCLA to a 4-0 week, including a top-25 sweep of No. 21 Ohio State, with a team-best...

Purdue MBB 2024-25 Final Release

Final Game Notes attached in PDF format. THE FINAL TALLY: Purdue ended the season with a 24-12 record and a spot in the Sweet 16 for the sixth time in the last eight years. The Boilermakers lost a heartbreaker to eventual national runner-up Houston in the Sweet 16,...

A LETTER FROM THE IHSAA COMMISSIONER- Paul Neidig

A LETTER FROM THE IHSAA  COMMISSIONER- Paul Neidig I may be showing my age with this reference, but Bob Dylan once wrote and sang “the times, they are a-changin.” In February, the IHSAA Executive Committee approved changes to the Association’s bylaws that will...