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(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 15)--The playoff hopes of the McKendree University volleyball team remain very much alive as the Bearcats prepare to close out the 2013 regular season with two home matches this weekend. McKendree will meet the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Friday at 7 p.m. before squaring off with Lewis University in the regular-season finale Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.

The Bearcats bring a 7-9 Great Lakes Valley Conference record into this weekend's play. Victories over Wisconsin-Parkside and Lewis would put McKendree in a position to earn one of two wild card berths available for the GLVC Tournament, which will be held Nov. 22-24. McKendree is looking to grab a post-season slot in its first season of NCAA eligibility. The Bearcats went 9-9 in GLVC play last year as an NCAA Division II provisional member and were not eligible for post-season competition.

After dropping five of its first six GLVC contests this season, McKendree has picked the right time to play some of its best volleyball of the year. The Bearcats have won seven of their last nine matches, with one of the losses coming at No. 25 Rockhurst University. On Tuesday, McKendree dropped the first set at the University of Illinois Springfield before bouncing back to take the final three sets and the match to complete the season sweep of the Prairie Stars.

McKendree will be facing Wisconsin-Parkside and Lewis for the second time this year. The Bearcats dropped the first contest to each, but McKendree held its own in both outings. At Lewis on Oct. 4., McKendree led two sets to one before the host Flyers rallied to win a five-set marathon. The next day in Kenosha, Wis., the Bearcats rallied from a two-set deficit to win the third set. The teams battled closely throughout the fourth set before the Rangers pulled out a 27-25 win to grab a 3-1 victory over McKendree. 

This weekend's play will also mark the final home game for three McKendree seniors -- Maddie Kelly (Lake Saint Louis, MO/Timberland), Maureen Nesbit (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) and Meghan Dohogne (Cape Girardeau, MO/Notre Dame Regional). The trio was part of Lisa Orlet's first recruiting class with the Bearcats, which will make Saturday's Senior Day activities even more emotional.

"These ladies took that initial risk as we were starting to build our program," said Orlet. "They trusted us and each other to start building a tradition here at McKendree. They were on board with putting McKendree on the map and building a competitive program at the (NCAA) Division II level. And they came through. They have set the tone with their hard work both in-season and out-of-season. They have helped us play the game at a higher level while creating a strong team bond and team chemistry. And they did it all knowing they would only have one season here at McKendree where they would be eligible for post-season play."

Kelly is the most decorated of the trio. Serving as the Bearcats' libero the last two years, Kelly has collected 1,232 digs. She has moved up to third on McKendree's career list for digs, and has the most digs of any two-year player in Bearcat volleyball history. Kelly has posted a career-high 40 digs in a match on two different occasions, including earlier this year in a five-set victory at Missouri Baptist University. In all but one of McKendree's 29 matches entering the weekend, Kelly has reached double figures in digs. 

Earlier this year, Kelly became the first McKendree player to be named to the All-Tournament Team at the GLVC/GLIAC Crossover Challenge, where she helped the Bearcats win two of three matches against opponents from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. To date, Kelly is the only Bearcat player to receive GLVC Defensive Player of the Week accolades, having won the award twice in her career.

Nesbit has amassed 574 kills during her two years at McKendree, including a team-high 373 as a junior in 2012. She also has collected 34 service aces during her career. Nesbit registered a career-best 23 kills last year in a home victory over Wisconsin-Parkside. She has had 31 matches with 10 or more kills at McKendree.

An offensive and defensive threat for the Bearcats, Nesbit has notched 727 digs along with her impressive hitting numbers. There have been 25 matches over the last two years where Nesbit has posted a double-double, which is 10 or more kills and digs in the same contest. 

Dohogne has served as a valuable player in the back row during her two years at McKendree. She has 413 career digs to her credit, including 267 as a junior last season. Dohogne has reached the 10-dig mark in a match 16 times for the Bearcats. She collected a career-high 20 digs earlier this year in a five-set contest against Saint Joseph's College at the Statham Center.

In addition to her back row number, Dohogne has posted 15 service aces and 69 kills while at McKendree. 

All three seniors have made their mark in the classroom as well while at McKendree. Kelly, Nesbit and Dohogne each earned Academic All-Conference honors last season from the GLVC. 

ABOUT WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE: The Rangers enter the final weekend of the regular season with an 18-11 overall record and are one game in front of the Bearcats in the GLVC standings at 8-8. Junior outside hitter Makenzie Fahnestock leads the team with 273 kills, averaging just under 2.8 per set. Fahnestock has also contributed 53 blocks and 177 digs for the Rangers. Sophomore middle blocker Kendyl Danelski, who has 173 attacks to her credit, leads the front row for Wisconsin-Parkside with 82 blocks (10 solos). Freshman setter Lauren Hickson has handed out a team-leading 840 assists while serving up a team-best 34 aces. Senior libero Sarah Mlachnik anchors the back row with 556 digs. 

ABOUT LEWIS: The Flyers, who will play at Illinois Springfield on Friday before coming to Lebanon for the Saturday match, brings a 21-8 overall record and a five-match win streak into the weekend. Lewis is tied for the lead in the GLVC East Division standings at 14-2. Kim Vertin paces the squad with 362 kills, which averages nearly four per set. Vertin has also added a team-high 226 digs and 45 blocks for the Flyers. Alexis Davito is close behind with 330 kills (3.3 KPS) and has a team-best 36 service aces. Morgan Cebula leads Lewis with 85 total blocks (23 solos), and Leigh Barea has handed out 1,009 assists for the year.