Murray State volleyball hosted their last two home games of the 2024 season against Bradley and Illinois State.

Nov. 15 vs Bradley

In a hard-fought match, the Murray State Racers fell to the Bradley Braves 3-0. Despite strong individual performances, the Racers struggled with efficiency, particularly in the attack and defense.

The Braves took control early in the first set and closed it out 25-17. The second set saw Murray State pushing back, but Bradley held on to win 24-17. The Racers could not overcome a late push from Bradley in the third set, where a key block by Haidi Miliou and a kill from Lily Burnett kept them in the game, but ultimately, the Braves sealed the victory 24-16.

Bradley was led by outside hitter Iva Popovic, who posted 14 kills with a .294 hitting percentage, while Silan Demirkol added 11 kills. The Braves’ setter, Maria Drapp, was pivotal in setting up the offense, contributing 21 assists. Bradley’s defense was also strong, with Irene Mostardini collecting 17 digs and Beste Ayhan adding 4 blocks. Bradley’s strong all-around performance, particularly in serving and defense, helped them secure the sweep despite Murray State’s resilient efforts. 

For Murray State, Ella Vogel led the team with 13 kills and 6 digs, while Lily Burnett contributed 7 kills and 7 digs. Haidi Miliou had 4 kills and 2 blocks, and Bailey DeMier recorded a match-high 25 assists. The Racers struggled with efficiency, hitting just .165 for the match compared to Bradley’s .200.

Nov. 16 vs Illinois State

Despite winning the first set of the match, the Racers lost 3-1 to Illinois State on Nov. 16. The loss puts Murray State in seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference standings. Illinois State moves into fifth.

The Racers came out strong, winning the first set 25-18 with a total of 13 kills. Illinois State had the upper hand in hitting efficiency, posting a .319 hitting percentage compared to the Racers’ .279. Illinois State responded by winning the second set 25-19 and barely claiming the third set 25-22. The fourth set was a tense battle, with the Racers closing the gap to just one point at 23-22. However, the Redbirds managed to hold on and secured the match with a 25-23 victory.

Murray State’s Federica Nuccio made some dominating kills, finishing with 14, and Lily Burnett had 10. The Redbirds came out on top with more kills, 64-52, as well as assists at 59-46. On the defensive side, the Racers were led by Morgan McClure, who recorded all five of the team’s blocks.

The Racers tried to come back, blocking the Redbirds with a team total of 13-7 blocks and 7-6 solo blocks. 

The Murray State Racers will travel to Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday, Nov. 19 to compete against the Belmont Bruins. They will then go on to play in the 2024 MVC Volleyball championship from Nov. 23 through Nov. 26 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.