Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 3)—The McKendree University volleyball team was defeated in three sets by the University of Southern Indiana on Saturday at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. The visiting Eagles took the best-of-five contest by scores of 25-17, 25-22 and 25-17.
McKendree slips to 14-15 overall and 8-8 in Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division play. The Bearcats were playing their final home match of the 2012 season, and finished the year with a 5-5 mark in Lebanon. Prior to the contest, the Bearcats honored their lone senior, defensive specialist
Laura Payne (Rockville, IN/Rockville). In her final home appearance, Payne collected four digs from the back row.
Against Southern Indiana, freshman outside hitter
Hannah Wessel (Waterloo, IL/Gibault Catholic) collected a team-best 10 kills, while freshman middle hitter
Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) and junior outside hitter
Maureen Nesbit (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) each added nine attacks. Junior setter
Abby Hanger (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) registered 31 assists in the effort. Junior libero
Maddie Kelly (Lake Saint Louis, MO/Timberland) handled a team-best 14 digs from the back row as Nesbit added 10 digs.
Southern Indiana (16-13, 12-4 GLVC) raced to a 5-0 lead in the first set before McKendree battled back. The Bearcats scored 10 of the next 14 points to take its only lead of the set at 10-9. Wessel and Apetz combined for four kills during the run for McKendree.
The teams traded points before the Eagles took control, using a 9-1 run of its own to regain an 18-11 advantage on its way to the first-set win.
McKendree stayed close in the second set, although the Bearcats never grabbed the lead. The Bearcats came as close as 23-22 before consecutive kills by Abbey Winter and Lauren DeShaney ended the threat and gave Southern Indiana a two-set lead in the match. The Eagles slowly pulled away in the third set, ending the match with a 4-0 run to finish off the sweep.
The Bearcats will hit the road for their final two contests of the year, beginning with a Friday contest at Saint Joseph's College in Renssalaer, Ind. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
