Box Score (SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Nov. 12)—Sophomore outside hitter Hannah Wessel (Waterloo, IL/Gibault Catholic) matched a career-high with 18 kills to lead the McKendree University volleyball team to a four-set victory Tuesday at the University of Illinois Springfield. After dropping the first set, the Bearcats rebounded to win the final three and complete the season sweep of the Prairie Stars. McKendree won by scores of 18-25, 25-21, 25-19 and 25-9.
 
The win was the seventh in the last nine matches for McKendree. The Bearcats move to 12-17 overall and 7-9 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. McKendree kept its post-season hopes alive with Tuesday's win. The Bearcats' final push for a GLVC Tournament berth starts on Friday when they host the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in a league contest. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
 
Senior libero Maddie Kelly (Lake Saint Louis, MO/Timberland) continued to climb the Bearcats' career list for digs as she collected a team-high 18 against the Prairie Stars. Kelly now has 1,232 digs in her two seasons and moved past Lindsey Gray for third place all-time at McKendree. Gray posted 1,229 digs during her four-year McKendree career from 2007-10.
 
Senior outside hitter Maureen Nesbit (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) added 15 kills and 10 digs in Tuesday's win at Illinois Springfield. Freshman middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) helped out with 11 attacks and three assisted blocks for McKendree. Freshman setter Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) handed out a team-leading 27 assists, and fellow freshman setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) was close behind with 24 sets.
 
McKendree led four different times in the first set, the last coming at 16-14 following a kill by Fairman. Illinois Springfield (7-20, 3-13 GLVC) scored the next six points on its way to a set-ending 11-2 run to grab an early lead over the Bearcats. McKendree never trailed in the second set, although the Prairie Stars pulled even at 12-12. Sophomore middle hitter Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) and Wessel then registered consecutive kills to put the Bearcats in front as McKendree eventually stretched the margin to as many as six points.
 
To open the third set, McKendree scored six of the first seven points – aided by three kills from Apetz – to take control early. Illinois Springfield pulled to within two points three more times in the set. The Bearcats were able to slowly pull away to win the set and grab a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The Bearcats led from start to finish in the fourth set to wrap up the win. McKendree closed the contest with a flourish, ending play with a 12-1 run to seal the victory. Nesbit added the exclamation point for the Bearcats by recording kills on three of the final five points of the match.
 
Becca Stoczynski led Illinois Springfield with 12 kills, while Kellee Mahaffay added 10 attacks. JoAnna Hoffmann handed out a match-high 36 assists for the Prairie Stars.
     
Tuesday's win enabled McKendree to complete the season sweep of Illinois Springfield. The Bearcats edged the Prairie Stars in five sets back on Oct. 8 in Lebanon.