(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 4)—The McKendree University volleyball team played its final home match of the 2010 regular season in a three-set loss to Missouri Baptist University Thursday at the Melvin Price Convocation Center. The Bearcats were defeated by scores of 25-23, 25-18 and 28-26.
The loss sends McKendree to 25-11 overall and 10-5 in the American Midwest Conference. The Bearcats have clinched the No. 3 seed in next week's AMC Tournament, and will host a quarterfinal contest on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Bearcats' opponent has yet to be determined. But first, McKendree will close out the regular season on Saturday with an AMC match at Stephens College. First serve is set for 3 p.m.
Prior to Thursday's match, McKendree held its annual Senior Night ceremonies and honored six players in their final season with the Bearcats. The McKendree players recognized include right-side hitter Jenna Baker (Fairfield, Ill./Fairfield), middle hitter Carrie Brickey (St. Louis, Mo./Rosati-Kain) (St. Louis, Mo./Rosati-Kain), libero Lindsey Gray (Lebanon, Ill./Lebanon) (Lebanon, Ill./Lebanon), middle hitter Ashley Perry (Sparta, Ill./Sparta) (Sparta, Ill./Sparta), outside hitter Tara Ryterski (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) and setter Alyssa Speckhals (Hermann, Mo./Hermann) (Hermann, Mo./Hermann).
Against Missouri Baptist, junior right-side hitter Nadia Moore (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) led McKendree with 12 kills, while Brickey added 10 attack along with a season-high 10 blocks. Ryterski chipped in with seven kills. Junior setter Melissa Bayer (Collinsville, IL/Triad) (Collinsville, Ill./Triad) handed out a team-leading 20 assists as Speckhals added 15. Gray registered a team-best 16 assists.
In the first set, McKendree trailed for most of the contest before the Bearcats ripped off six consecutive points to grab a 23-20 lead. Missouri Baptist regrouped to win the final five points to win the set. The Spartans then posted five of the first six points of the second set and never trailed in cruising to a seven-point victory.
Midway through the third set, McKendree scored four consecutive points to take its largest lead of the contest at 18-14. Missouri Baptist edged closer once again and tied the set at 24-24 before a block by Brickey and junior right-side hitter Kaitlyn Kollmann (Collinsville, IL/Metro East Lutheran) (Collinsville, Ill./Metro-East Lutheran) combined for a block to put the Bearcats within a point of the victory. However, the Spartans fended off two McKendree set points and scored the last three points of the match to record the sweep.
Casey Chernin led a balanced attack for Missouri Baptist with nine kills, while Laura King had 23 assists and Sara Mohesky notched 19 digs.
McKENDREE UNIVERSITY VOLLEYBALL RESULTS
THURSDAY, NOV. 4 AT LEBANON, IL
Team 1 2 3
Missouri Baptist 25 25 28
McKENDREE 23 18 26
McKendree is now 25-11 overall and 10-5 in the American Midwest Conference
