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(RUSSELLVILLE, Ark., Sept. 8)—The McKendree University volleyball team continued its winning ways on Saturday, winning two more matches to claim the overall championship of the Arkansas Tech University Spikefest. Both victories on Saturday came in five sets, opening with a win over Lindenwood University before rallying to take a thriller against host Arkansas Tech.
 
The weekend sweep gives McKendree an overall record of 4-4 heading into its first Great Lakes Valley Conference match on Friday at the University of Southern Indiana. First serve is set for 7 p.m. in Evansville, Ind.
 
“We showed a lot of character this weekend,” said McKendree head coach Lisa Orlet. “It was good to get the first two wins (on Friday) but was even better to finish strong. Arkansas Tech was hot to start that last match, but we kept chipping away and fought back. I was proud to see that fight in our players.”
 
There were plenty of stars for McKendree in the two matches on Saturday. Freshman middle hitter Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) led the offensive charge with 34 kills on the day, 19 of which came in the victory over Lindenwood. Junior outside hitter Maureen Nesbit (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) also had a big day with 30 kills, including a season-high 21 versus Lindenwood. Freshman right-side hitter Rachel Nelson (Papillion, NE/Papillion-LaVista South) turned in a 10-kill performance against the Lions, while junior middle hitter Mel Duncan registered 11 attacks in the comeback against Arkansas Tech.
 
Junior setter Abby Hanger (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) handed out 100 assists in the two wins, with a season-best 56 coming against Lindenwood. Junior libero Maddie Kelly (Lake Saint Louis, MO/Timberland) chipped with 47 digs on the day while adding three service aces against the host Golden Suns. Junior hitter Meghan Dohogne (Cape Girardeau, MO/Notre Dame Regional) also came up big in the Arkansas Tech match with eight kills along with 17 digs.
 
McKendree opened the day against Lindenwood. The Bearcats trailed two sets to one, but overcame early deficits in each of the last two sets to post its first win over the Lions since the 1998 season. McKendree took Saturday's match by scores of 25-15, 25-27, 20-25, 25-22 and 15-9.
 
Trailing in the fourth set, McKendree ripped off six consecutive points to grab a 12-6 advantage. Hanger recorded back-to-back kills to finish off the run for the Bearcats. A service ace by Hanger gave McKendree its largest lead of the set at 24-18 as the Bearcats were able to hold off a late charge from the Lions to force a fifth and deciding set.
 
Lindenwood scored the first two points before McKendree seized the lead for good with the next four points. Nesbit started the decisive spurt with a kill followed by a service ace. Dohogne then posted consecutive kills to give the Bearcats a 4-2 advantage it would not relinquish. Nesbit finished off the win with a service ace, giving McKendree its first triumph over the Lions since a four-set victory back on Sept. 21, 1998.
 
Arkansas Tech dominated McKendree in the first two sets of the weekend finale, winning both sets by double digits. The Bearcats needed to rally to win the third set before edging the Golden Suns in set number four. McKendree led for most of the final set until Arkansas Tech rallied and had a serve for match point. But the Bearcats put together one final rally to win the last three points and the contest. McKendree completed its perfect weekend by defeating Arkansas Tech 12-15, 15-25, 25-19, 25-19 and 17-15.
 
McKendree trailed 12-8 in the third set before a 5-0 gave the Bearcats a 13-12 lead. The Bearcats slowly increased the lead down the stretch and held on for a 25-19 win. Although the score was the same in the fourth set, the Bearcats grabbed an early lead and never lost its grip on the advantage. Arkansas Tech did tie the set at 13-13 before McKendree reeled off seven of the next eight points to take control. Apetz registered a pair of kills during the run.
 
In the decisive fifth set, McKendree once again played with a lead for the majority of the contest. The Bearcats raced to a 10-5 bulge, punctuated by three straight kills from Apetz. Arkansas Tech responded with a 6-1 run of its own to knot the set at 11-11. The lead went back and forth until the Golden Suns forged a 15-14 lead and were serving for the match.
 
After an attack error helped the Bearcats tie the match for the final time, Kelly served up an ace to put McKendree in front. Apetz then put the exclamation point on the weekend with one final kill off a set from Hanger.