GLVC/GLIAC CROSSOVER CHALLENGE WEBSITE | McKENDREE LIVE STATS

(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 25)--The McKendree University women's volleyball team will step out of conference play for the final time in the 2013 regular season with three matches this weekend at the GLVC/GLIAC Crossover Challenge in Aurora, Ill. The Bearcats will take on Malone University and the University of Findlay on Friday before wrapping up the weekend against Walsh University Saturday afternoon.

This is the sixth year for the GLVC/GLIAC Crossover Challenge, which is contested annually between the members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The two-day tournament will feature 48 matches conducted on eight courts at one of the top volleyball facilities in the country. The event, designed to increase intraconference competition between teams from the two leagues in the NCAA Division II Midwest Region, has previously been held in Indianapolis, Ind. and Lansing, Mich.

McKendree participated for the first time in the GLVC/GLIAC Crossover Challenge last year. The Bearcats fared well in their initial turn at the event, winning two of three matches. McKendree defeated Lake Erie College and Walsh before falling to Malone. Helped by the Bearcats' two victories, the GLVC was able to claim its third consecutive title at the event. GLVC schools combined to go 28-20 versus their GLIAC counterparts.

The Bearcats enter this year's event with an overall record of 6-15. McKendree rallied past Missouri Baptist University in non-conference play on Tuesday, winning the fourth and fifth sets to battle back from a 2-1 deficit. Bailey Kampwerth (Breese, IL/Mater Dei) led the offensive attack with 15 kills, while Maureen Nesbit (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) added 10 kills and 19 digs. Maddie Kelly (Lake Saint Louis, MO/Timberland) matched a career-best by handling 40 digs in the effort.

Kelly continues to close in on the Bearcats' top five in career digs. She has 1,064 digs to date, which is 32 behind Karen Eversgerd for the No. 5 spot on the career list.

ABOUT MALONE: The Pioneers, like McKendree, are in their first full year as NCAA Division II members. Malone has a 9-10 overall record and 4-7 mark in GLIAC play. The Pioneeers have won two of their last three matches after snapping a six-match losing streak. They are led by junior outside hitter Taylor Slauterbeck, who has 197 kills on the year. Senior middle hitter Lauren Townley is right behind with 148 attacks and a team-leading 44 blocks.

ABOUT FINDLAY: The Oilers are 12-8 overall, but just 5-6 in GLIAC competition. Findlay has dropped its last three contests entering the GLVC/GLIAC Crossover Challenge, having been swept by Hillsdale College, Ferris State University and Grand Valley State University. Senior outside hitter Mackenzie Vorst has registered a team-leading 196 kills, while senior middle blocker Danielle Taflinger has chipped in with 163 attacks and 72 kills. Junior setter Amanda Calhoun has handed out 651 assists through the Oilers' first 20 matches.

ABOUT WALSH: Joining McKendree and Malone as first-year NCAA Division II full members is Walsh. The Cavaliers have posted a record of 4-14 with a 1-10 record in the GLIAC. Walsh is winless in its last six contests. Offensively the team relies on the duo of Paige Chandler (160 kills) and Krissy Sokol (155 kills). Kelly Miller paces the team with 28 blocks, and Haley Howell has collected 498 assists and 20 service aces.