BOX SCORE

(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 5)—The McKendree University volleyball team was defeated in four sets Wednesday at home by the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The visiting Tritons won the best-of-five match by scores of 25-21, 22-25, 25-20 and 25-14.
 
A pair of freshman led the way for McKendree as middle hitter Hilary Richter (Troy, IL/Triad) (Troy, Ill./Triad) posted a team-high 10 kills and six blocks, while outside hitter Erica Johnson (New Baden, IL/Wesclin) (New Baden, Ill./Wesclin) chipped in with nine kills. Senior outside hitter Kaitlyn Kollmann (Collinsville, IL/Metro East Lutheran) (Collinsville, Ill./Metro East Lutheran) also added nine attack for the Bearcats, who fell to 5-17 on the season. Senior setter Melissa Bayer (Collinsville, IL/Triad) (Collinsville, Ill./Triad) had 20 assists in the effort.
 
In the first set, McKendree rallied from a trio of five-point deficits to pull within 20-18 on a kill by Richter. After the teams traded points, UMSL took advantage of a kill by Shelby Crawford and a Bearcat attack error to regain a 24-20 advantage. Two points later, Crawford finished of the match with another kill to give the Tritons the opening set.
 
McKendree controlled the tempo in the early stages of the second set, and later used a run of three consecutive points to build an 18-13 lead. The last two points of the run came on consecutive kills by senior outside hitter Nadia Moore (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia). UMSL answered by clawing back to tie the set at 20-20, but a kill from Kollmann gave McKendree the lead for good as the Bearcats claimed the second set.
 
The Tritons raced to an 11-4 lead in the third set and never trailed in taking a 2-1 lead in the match. McKendree responded by winning the first three points of the fourth set, but UMSL chipped away at the deficit and took the lead for good, 7-6, on a service ace by Haley Woods. The Tritons continued to stretch their lead and pull away to finish off the match.
 
Crawford registered a match-high 15 kills to lead UMSL, while Corinne Hoekstra added 14 attacks. Anna McNulty handed out a team-leading 58 assists, and Alisha Skaggs posted 23 digs.