Box Score (SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Oct. 20)—Freshman middle hitter
Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) collected a season-high 27 kills in leading the McKendree University volleyball team to a come-from-behind win Saturday evening at the University of Illinois Springfield. The Bearcats rallied from a two-set deficit, posting the win by scores of 21-25, 25-27, 25-16, 25-15 and 15-13.
]Apetz had six of her 27 kills during the fifth and deciding set, including three in a five-point span that gave the Bearcats the lead for good. McKendree improves to 10-13 overall and is now 4-6 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. The Bearcats will head to Quincy, Ill., for another GLVC match Sunday afternoon at Quincy University. First serve is set for 1 p.m.
]Freshman outside hitter
Hannah Wessel (Waterloo, IL/Gibault Catholic) helped out with 16 kills, while junior outside hitter
Maureen Nesbit (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) recorded a double-double with 13 kills and 17 digs. Freshman right-side hitter
Rachel Nelson (Papillion, NE/Papillion-LaVista South) also reached double figures in attacks with 10 for the Bearcats.
]In addition, junior setter
Abby Hanger (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) handed out a match-high 60 assists along and added 15 digs, while junior libero
Maddie Kelly (Lake Saint Louis, MO/Timberland) contributed a match-best 22 digs in the victory. Hanger reached the 60-assist mark for the second time in three matches for McKendree. She posted a career-best 61 assists in the Bearcats' victory against Walsh University on Oct. 13.
]Despite playing Illinois Springfield close in the first two sets, McKendree dropped each contest to fall into an 0-2 hole. The Bearcats bounced back in dominant fashion as they led from start to finish in sets three and four to knot the match. The fifth set went back and forth in the early stages, with UIS building a 7-5 lead at one point.
]Apetz put down a kill to bring the Bearcats within 7-6. After a ball handling error by the Prairie Stars tied the contest at 7-7, Apetz followed with two more kills sandwiched around another UIS error, giving McKendree a 10-7 advantage.
]The Bearcats were able to hold Illinois Springfield at bay down the stretch as the Prairie Stars pulled within one point on three different occasions, the last coming at 14-13. But a kill by Nesbit sealed the come-from-behind win for McKendree.
]Sara Baker had 15 kills to lead Illinois Springfield, which drops to 9-13 overall and 1-9 in the GLVC with the loss.
