Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (WARRENSBURG, Mo., Sept. 13)—The McKendree University volleyball team dropped both of its matches Friday at the Peggy Martin Challenge hosted by the University of Central Missouri. The Bearcats were defeated by host Central Missouri in Friday's opener, 3-0, before falling at the hands of Winona State University in the nightcap.

McKendree slips to 1-5 on the season and will look to bounce back Saturday with its final two matches at the Peggy Martin Challenge. The Bearcats will take on the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs at noon before closing the weekend with a 6 p.m. against Minnesota State University-Moorhead.

Senior libero Maddie Kelly (Lake Saint Louis, MO/Timberland) had a busy day in the back row for McKendree as she handled 31 digs in the two matches. That includes an 18-dig effort in the Winona State contest. Senior outside hitter Maureen Nesbit (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) was the leading hitter on the day for the Bearcats with 11 attacks, seven of which also came against Winona State.

Against Central Missouri, McKendree was facing the No. 7-ranked team in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. The Jennies had not lost a set entering the contest, and kept that perfect mark intact by defeating the Bearcats in three sets, 25-13, 25-14 and 25-15.

Freshman outside hitter Bailey Kampwerth (Breese, IL/Mater Dei) led the offense for McKendree with seven kills, while freshman middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) connected for five attacks. Freshman setter Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) handed out a team-best 12 assists, and freshman setter Rebecca Nauman (Yorkville, IL/Yorkville) was close behind with 11 sets.

Against Winona State, McKendree built early leads in each of the final two sets, but could not hold off the Warriors who won the match by scores of 25-16, 25-18 and 25-18.

Winona State rolled to a nine-point victory in set one before McKendree jumped out quickly in the second set. The Bearcats scored the first five points of the contest, with Nesbit, Kampwerth and sophomore outside hitter Hannah Wessel (Waterloo, IL/Gibault Catholic) posting kills during the early run. McKendree led 12-9 before the Warriors used a 7-1 run to grab the lead for good at 16-13. The Bearcats scored the next two points to pull within one before Winona State took control and slowly pulled away for the win in the set.

McKendree scored five of the first six points in the third set and held its lead until the middle portion of the set. A pair of kills by Rachel Poland gave the Warriors a 17-15 and they never trailed the remainder of the match.

Nauman posted a double-double in the effort for McKendree with a team-high 12 assists to go along with 10 digs.