LINDENWOOD BOX

UNION BOX

(ST. CHARLES, Mo., Oct. 1)—The McKendree University volleyball team ended its seven-match losing streak on Saturday by taking one of two matches Saturday at the Lindenwood University Invitational in St. Charles, Mo. The Bearcats dropped their first contest against host Lindenwood before sweeping past Union University to close the weekend on a strong note.
 
With its two matches on Saturday, McKendree closed out a streak of 14 consecutive matches away from the Melvin Price Convocation Center. The Bearcats, now 5-15 on the year, will return home Monday to play host to future Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Drury University in a match slated to start at 6 p.m.
 
Against Lindenwood, the Bearcats were swept by the host Lions. Lindenwood took the contest by scores of 25-14, 25-15 and 25-22.
 
Senior outside hitter Kaitlyn Kollmann (Collinsville, IL/Metro East Lutheran) (Collinsville, Ill./Metro East Lutheran) and freshman middle hitter Hilary Richter (Troy, IL/Triad) (Troy, Ill./Triad) shared team-high honors with six kills. Senior outside hitter Nadia Moore (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) and freshman middle hitter Trina Isaak (Highland, IL/Highland) (Highland, Ill./Highland) each netted four kills in the contest.
 
Senior setter Melissa Bayer (Collinsville, IL/Triad) (Collinsville, Ill./Triad) handed out a team-best 21 assists, and senior libero Savannah Jarvis (Mascoutah, IL/Mascoutah) (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) collected 11 digs to pace McKendree.
 
In the Union match, McKendree found itself trailing for most of the first set. The Bearcats were down by as many as five points in the set, but pulled to within 23-21. Following a service error by the Bulldogs, McKendree took control of the match. Melissa Bayer (Collinsville, IL/Triad) started the rally with a service ace. Freshman Erica Johnson (New Baden, IL/Wesclin) (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) followed with a kill to put the Bearcats in front 24-23, and Richter finished off the first set with a kill.
 
McKendree raced to an 11-4 lead in the second set before Union rallied to the contest at 15-15. The Bearcats quickly regained their composure and regained the lead, with Kollmann ending the second set with a kill off a pass from Melissa Bayer (Collinsville, IL/Triad).
 
The third and final set went back and forth until the later stages. With the set tied at 17-17, a kill by Johnson put McKendree in front to stay and sparked a 6-2 run to build the lead back to 23-19. Union rallied to within 23-22, but a block by Isaak and senior hitter Melinda Bayer (Collinsville, IL/Triad) (Collinsville, Ill./Triad) and a Bulldog attack error put the Bearcats into the win column.
 
Johnson and Moore each posted 10 kills to lead McKendree. Richter chipped in with six attacks. Melissa Bayer (Collinsville, IL/Triad) and freshman setter Maggie Mueller (St. Peters, MO/Francis Howell Central) (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) each collected 16 assists in the victory, while Savannah Jarvis (Mascoutah, IL/Mascoutah) posted a match-high 15 digs.
 
Senior right-side hitter Lauren Richter (Mascoutah, IL/Mascoutah) (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) registered three of the Bearcats' seven service aces in the match.
 
McKENDREE UNIVERSITY VOLLEYBALL RESULTS
SATURDAY, OCT. 1, 2011
AT ST. CHARLES, MO.
 
Team                               1           2           3
Lindenwood                  25         25         25
McKendree                    14         15         22
 
Team                              1            2           3
McKendree                   25         25         25
Union (Tenn.)               23         21         22
 
McKendree is now 5-15 on the season