(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 18)—The McKendree University women's volleyball team topped the University of Missouri-St. Louis in the opening round of the 2016 Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Friday evening in East Peoria, IL. The Bearcats won by scores of 25-17, 25-12, and 25-22.

With the win McKendree improves to 22-9 overall. The Bearcats return to action in the semifinal round tomorrow night against the winner of Rockhurst University and the University of Indianapolis. First serve is slated for 5:30 p.m.

Mckendree was led offensively by senior outside hitter Allison Schneider (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh) who put down 12 kills to go with four digs and four blocks. Junior outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) tagged 11 kills on 21 attempts to hit .476. Williams added 11 digs to earn a double-double. Junior middle attacker Carissa Lorenz (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West), senior middle attacker Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton), and junior right side Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) each tallied six kills. Lorenz hit a robust .714 to pair with four blocks, while Fairman and Geiger hit clips of .600 and .455 respectively.

Senior setter Aubry Dickman dished out a match high 20 assists adding 11 digs as sophomore setter Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) passed out 16 of her own. Freshman libero Alissa Zeitelhack (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley West) stuck 11 digs from the back row as the Bearcats out hit the Tritons .467 to .155.

Lorenz put down two kills in the first for points for McKendree as the Bearcats took an early 4-2 lead. McKendree stayed hot, following up with a 4-1 run that featured a pair of kills from Schneider and Williams as well as an ace from senior defensive specialist Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski). Missouri-St. Louis trimmed the lead to 13-10 before the teams traded a pair of 3-0 runs to move the score to 16-13. The Bearcats followed with a six to two run to open a 21-15 margin and another pair of kills from Lorenz down the stretch to take the first set by eight.

The second set was all McKendree as the Bearcats used a pair of kills from Geiger to open on a four point run. Schneider put down a kill to spark a 3-0 run that was finished off by back to back kills from Fairman to move McKendree in front 9-4. The teams traded points back and forth before Williams connected on two straight kills to start a 4-0 run that moved the Bearcats ahead 16-7 and forced a timeout from the Tritons. Missouri-St. Louis couldn't turn things around down the stretch as Fairman and Schneider each scored two more kills and the Bearcats strolled to a 13 point win in the second set.

The Tritons responded after intermission as they took an early 6-2 lead thanks to a 4-0 run. McKendree used a kill from Schneider and a block from Fairman to rally within one point at 8-7 before taking the lead 10-9 after a kill apiece from Williams and Schneider. Missouri-St. Louis countered with a 5-2 run to recapture the lead at 15-14, but handed it right back to the Bearcats after Schneider put down a kill and McKendree capitalized on a Triton attack error. Missouri-St. Louis pulled ahead once again at 20-19, but Lorenz was able to put down two more kills as part of a 5-1 run that forced set point at 24-21. The Tritons scored a kill to close the gap, but Geiger was able to put the game away with a kill that deflected out of bounds to earn the win.