Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 6)—The McKendree University volleyball squad snapped its four-match losing streak in convincing style in posting a three-set sweep Saturday at home against Maryville University. The Bearcats won by scores of 25-12, 25-17 and 25-13.
 
The Bearcats trailed just one in each set – and by one point on one occasion in each of the first two sets – on its way to the Great Lakes Valley Conference victory. McKendree improves to 7-11 overall and 3-5 in the GLVC. The Bearcats will wrap up a busy weekend by hosting the University of Missouri-St. Louis Sunday at 1 p.m. in Lebanon.
 
Against Maryville, junior outside hitter Maureen Nesbit (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) paced the offensive attack for McKendree with 12 kills. Freshman outside hitter Hannah Wessel (Waterloo, IL/Gibault Catholic) chipped in with nine attacks, while freshman right-side hitter Rachel Nelson (Papillion, NE/Papillion-LaVista South) connected for eight kills. Nelson, freshman middle hitter Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) and freshman hitter Taylor Voss (Breese, IL/Breese Central) each registered three blocks in the victory for the Bearcats.
 
Junior setter Abby Hanger (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) paced the squad with 29 assists, and junior libero Maddie Kelly (Lake Saint Louis, MO/Timberland) helped out with a team-best 14 digs.
 
McKendree trailed early in the first set before ripping off six straight points to grab the lead for good at 7-2. The Bearcats used later runs in the set of 5-0 and 6-1 to roll to victory in the opener. McKendree scored the first four points of the second set but watched Maryville grab a 5-4 advantage with the next five points. The Bearcats were able to hold off challenges from the Saints throughout the set, but finished the contest on a 9-1 spurt to take a commanding lead heading into the third set.
 
Maryville (2-15, 1-7 GLVC) took its largest lead of the night at 8-6 in the final set before the Bearcats went to work. Consecutive kills by Wessel sparked a run of four straight points that gave McKendree the lead for good at 10-8. Following a point by the Saints, the Bearcats reeled off eight straight points to stretch its lead to 18-9. Nesbit registered three kills during the spurt for McKendree.
Hana Michael and Mikaela Lahm each had six kills to lead the way for Maryville.