Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 11)—The McKendree University volleyball team was defeated in a close five-set match Friday at home by Saint Joseph's College. The visiting Pumas outlasted the Bearcats by scores of 25-20, 20-25, 15-25, 25-15 and 15-11.

The loss sends McKendree to 4-13 overall and 2-6 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Bearcats will play host to the University of Indianapolis, the No. 25-ranked team in NCAA Division II, Saturday at 3 p.m.

Friday's match was also the Bearcats' annual "Kill for the Cure" Night. During the contest, McKendree honored cancer survivors, and those whose lives have been touched by the disease. The Bearcats also raised funds to be forwarded to the Side-Out Foundation to aid in cancer research.

Senior outside hitter Maureen Nesbit (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) was the lone McKendree player to reach double figures in kills with 14. Nesbit also collected 17 digs in the match. Freshman outside hitter Bailey Kampwerth (Breese, IL/Mater Dei) and sophomore outside hitter Hannah Wessel (Waterloo, IL/Gibault Catholic) each added nine attacks. Senior libero Maddie Kelly (Lake Saint Louis, MO/Timberland) posted a team-high 35 digs in the contest, while senior Meghan Dohogne (Cape Girardeau, MO/Notre Dame Regional) handled a season-best 20 digs.

A pair of freshman setters combined for 47 assists on the night, led by 24 from Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski). Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) contributed 23 sets in the match for the Bearcats. Dickmann also posted 13 digs.

Saint Joseph's (5-12, 2-6 GLVC) led for a majority of the first set. McKendree came to life in the middle stages of the contest, using a 4-0 run to take its largest lead at 12-10. The Pumas answered by scoring the next four points and never relinquished the lead the remainder of the set.

After falling behind 5-1 in the second set, McKendree regrouped and scored five of the next six points to knot the contest at 6-6. The Pumas edged out to an 8-6 lead before the Bearcats scored 10 consecutive points to build a 16-8 advantage. McKendree took its first double-digit lead of the night on a kill by freshman middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) that gave the Bearcats a 20-10 advantage. Saint Joseph's put together a late rally, but a kill from Wessel finished off the set and tied the contest at 1-1.

McKendree scored the first six points of set three and were never threatened in the contest. Kampwerth had six kills in the set, while Wessel added five as the Bearcats rolled to the 10-point win, giving McKendree a 2-1 lead in the match.

In the fourth set, McKendree took an early 4-3 lead before Saint Joseph's collected three straight points to build a 6-4 lead. The Pumas continued to slowly stretch their advantage and pulled away to force a fifth and deciding set.

The teams traded points through the first half of set five before Saint Joseph's took a 9-7 lead. Consecutive attack errors by the Pumas helped McKendree tie the match one final time at 9-9. Saint Joseph's took control with a 5-1 burst to grab a 14-10 lead. A kill from sophomore middle hitter Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) helped McKendree pull within three points, but the Pumas were able to hold on for the win.

Peyton McKenzie led Saint Joseph's with 11 kills, while Erin Hyland added 10. Megan Sturm handed out a match-high 34 assists in the contest, and Alyssa Guarnaccia posted 39 digs for the Pumas.