(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 6)—Four different players reached double figures in the kills column as the McKendree University volleyball team outlasted Hannibal-LaGrange College Wednesday in a pivotal American Midwest Conference match in Lebanon, three sets to one. The Bearcats won by scores of 25-23, 25-27, 25-19 and 25-23.
McKendree pushed its record to 16-5 overall. The Bearcats moved past Hannibal-LaGrange into sole possession of second place in the AMC standings at 4-1. McKendree has won its last 10 matches to enjoy its longest win streak since an 11-game tear to open the 2007 sason.
Junior right-side hitter Kaitlyn Kollmann (Collinsville, IL/Metro East Lutheran) (Collinsville, Ill./Metro-East Lutheran) led the balanced offensive attack for McKendree with 12 kills. Senior outside hitter Tara Ryterski (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) added 11 kills, while senior middle hitters Ashley Perry (Sparta, Ill./Sparta) (Sparta, Ill./Sparta) and Carrie Brickey (St. Louis, Mo./Rosati-Kain) (St. Louis, Mo./Rosati-Kain) each chipped in with 10 attacks.
Junior setter Melissa Bayer (Collinsville, IL/Triad) (Collinsville, Ill./Triad) registered a team-leading 22 assists and senior setter Alyssa Speckhals (Hermann, Mo./Hermann) (Hermann, Mo./Hermann) was right behind with 20 sets. Senior libero Lindsey Gray (Lebanon, Ill./Lebanon) (Lebanon, Ill./Lebanon) posted team-highs with 21 digs and two service aces.
In the first set, McKendree built a 13-8 lead before Hannibal-LaGrange (10-6, 6-2 AMC) stormed back with an 8-2 run to grab a 16-15 lead. Perry then followed with a kill to tie the set and the match flipped back and forth until the final two points, where the Bearcats took advantage of a Trojans' hitting error and a combined block from Perry and junior right-side hitter Nadia Moore (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) to close out a 25-23 victory in the set.
Hannibal-LaGrange survived two set points in the second set before scoring the final three points to win 27-25 and even the match at one set apiece. McKendree controlled the play for much of the third set, taking its largest lead at 19-11 following a kill by Ryterski. The Trojans chipped away at the deficit and pulled to within 22-19 before a kill by Brickey ended the run, and a kill by Perry finished off a 25-19 victory in the set.
The Bearcats had to rally late in the fourth and final set. Trailing 23-22, Kollmann registered a kill to even the set. McKendree then took advantage of two Hannibal-LaGrange hitting errors to finish off the set and the match.
Shannalei Seau-Gibson paced Hannibal-LaGrange with 10 kills, while Sthephanie Mab handed out a team-best 21 assists.
McKENDREE UNIVERSITY VOLLEYBALL RESULT
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 6 AT LEBANON, ILL.
Team 1 2 3 4
McKENDREE 25 25 25 25
Hannibal-LaGrange 23 27 19 23
McKendree is now 16-5 overall and 4-1 in the American Midwest Conference
