Illini volleyball drops exhibition match against Bradley

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) -- Illinois volleyball unofficially kicked off the season with an exhibition match against Bradley, falling 3-1. The teams agreed to play four sets, regardless of the result after three. Bradley won the first three sets, with Illinois taking the final 25-15. "We've had a couple internal scrimmages, but we played against ourselves for a long time," head coach Chris Tamas said before the game. "At the end of the day, we're about execution, and you got to go out there and do it when you know, the lights are bright and you got fans in the stands and everything else. So to have the opportunity to have the exhibition becomes a big deal." Illinois opens the regular season on August 28 against Cincinnati. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.