Box Score (ROMEOVILLE, Ill., Oct. 4)—The McKendree University volleyball team took two of the first three sets Friday at Lewis University, but the host Flyers were able to rally to scrape past the Bearcats in five sets. Lewis took the match by scores of 17-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-17 and 15-7.

McKendree was looking to knock off the lone unbeaten team in the Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division entering Friday's play. The Bearcats slip to 3-11 overall and 1-4 in the GLVC with the loss. McKendree will close out its northern road trip Saturday afternoon when it takes on the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in a 3 p.m. contest.

Senior outside hitter Maureen Nesbit (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) led the way for McKendree with 11 kills while handling 19 digs. Sophomore middle hitter Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) and freshman outside hitter Bailey Kampwerth (Breese, IL/Mater Dei) each connected for eight kills as freshman middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) notched four blocks with two solos. Senior libero Maddie Kelly (Lake Saint Louis, MO/Timberland) handled a team-leading 23 digs, and freshman setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) had 24 assists to lead the Bearcats.

After trailing in the early moments of the first set, McKendree reeled off six consecutive points to grab the lead for good at 9-7. Apetz had a kill and service ace during the spurt for the Bearcats. The teams traded points before a 7-1 run pushed the margin to 17-9, with sophomore outside hitter Hannah Wessel (Waterloo, IL/Gibault Catholic) providing three of her seven kills during the run.

Lewis (9-4, 5-0 GLVC) bounced back for a two-point win in the second set before the Bearcats grabbed a 2-1 lead in the match. McKendree never trailed during the third set, using a 7-2 opening run to take an early advantage. The Flyers eventually clawed back to within 23-22 late in the contest, but a kill by Kampwerth and a Lewis attack error left McKendree one set from the road win.

But Lewis regained its composure and never trailed the rest of the night. The Flyers stormed to a 10-3 lead in the fourth set on its way to knotting the match at two sets apiece, then grabbed a 6-1 lead in the deciding set.

Cassidy Parsons paced Lewis with 16 kills, while Alexis Davito added 14 attacks for the Flyers. McKendree and Lewis will meet once more this season on Nov. 16 in Lebanon.