Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 2)—It was another home date for the McKendree University volleyball team, which means Bearcat fans got their money's worth Saturday at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
 
For the fourth consecutive home contest, McKendree was involved in a five-set match, and for the third time during that stretch – and fourth time in seven home matches this year – the Bearcats emerged victorious, posting a Great Lakes Valley Conference win over Drury University. McKendree won by scores of 25-22, 23-25, 28-26, 13-25 and 15-8.
 
The Bearcats have now won four of their last five matches to improve to 9-16 overall. McKendree is 4-8 in GLVC play and will host Missouri S & T in another GLVC tilt Sunday at 1 p.m. Saturday's victory pushed McKendree's home record to 5-2 this season.
 
Freshman outside hitter Bailey Kampwerth (Breese, IL/Mater Dei) connected for a match-high 16 kills to lead the way for McKendree. Freshman middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) chipped in with 11 attacks and a season-high nine blocks, while senior outside hitter Maureen Nesbit (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) had a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs for the Bearcats.
 
Freshman setter Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) handed out a team-leading 20 assists against Drury, while senior libero Maddie Kelly (Lake Saint Louis, MO/Timberland) contributed 18 digs. Freshman setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) reached double figures in both kills and digs with 16 and 11, respectively.
 
In the fifth and deciding set, McKendree scored the first four points and never looked back. Drury (12-13, 5-7 GLVC) pulled within 7-5 before a kill by Fairman sparked a 3-1 run to push the Bearcats back out to a 10-6 advantage. The Panthers never recovered as they had just two kills and nine attack errors in the final set.
 
McKendree jumped out to a 15-7 lead in the first set, thanks in part to three kills from sophomore middle hitter Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand). The Bearcats had to withstand a late rally from Drury, which used an 8-2 spurt to pull within 23-21. Nesbit put down a pair of kills to help McKendree close out the set to grab an early lead.
 
Drury bounced back to edge McKendree in the second set to tie the match at 1-1. The Bearcats trailed in the early stages of the third set before ripping off six consecutive points to grab a 13-10 lead. McKendree stretched the margin to five points on two different occasions when the Panthers rallied back and served for the third-set victory at 25-24. Once again, Nesbit took control late for the Bearcats, registering a kill to tie the set at 25-25. Drury scored the next point before an attack by junior outside hitter Kelsey Johnson (Aviston, IL/Breese Central) and two more attacks from Nesbit finished off the come-from-behind effort in the set.
 
In the fourth set, Drury built a slight lead early and then pulled away by scoring 10 of the final 12 points of the set to force the winner-take-all set.
 
Sara Borneman had 14 kills to lead Drury, while Brooke Antenen posted a match-high 38 assists and Bridget Justis collected 26 digs for the Panthers.