Box Score (INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Oct. 3)—The McKendree University volleyball team pushed its win streak to three matches by taking a five-set contest Friday evening at the University of Indianapolis. The Bearcats won by scores of 18-25, 25-20, 21-25, 28-26 and 15-12.
 
McKendree trailed 2-1 after three sets but outlasted the host Greyhounds in a marathon fourth set, then took an early lead in the fifth and deciding set to complete the comeback. The Bearcats improve to 8-6 overall and 5-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. McKendree will close out its weekend trip east with a Saturday afternoon match at Saint Joseph's College. First serve is set for 3 p.m.
 
Sophomore middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) and freshman outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) shared team-high honors with 15 kills each to lead the way for McKendree. Fairman also put down a team-best seven blocks, while Williams handled 14 digs to post a double-double in the win. Junior right-side hitter Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) also helped out offensively with 12 attacks.
 
Sophomore setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) handed out 38 assists to lead the Bearcats, and senior setter Abby Hanger (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) posted eight digs. In the process, Hanger surpassed the 1,500-assist mark in her two seasons with the Bearcats, moving her career total to 1,503.
 
In the back row, freshman libero Ashly Schmitt (Johnsburg, IL/Johnsburg) collected 15 digs, while senior outside hitter Kelsey Johnson (Aviston, IL/Breese Central) matched Williams with 14 digs for McKendree.
 
This is the second consecutive year that McKendree and Indianapolis battled for five sets in their lone meeting of the year. The 2013 match produced the same result as the Bearcats held off the Greyhounds in a contest played at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
 
After dropping the first set, McKendree started quickly in the second set by scoring eight of the first 10 points. Indianapolis (7-6, 6-2 GLVC) chipped away at the deficit and pulled even at 13-13. The contest seesawed back and forth until consecutive kills by Williams and Fairman triggered a 4-1 burst that helped the Bearcats surge out to a 23-19 advantage. McKendree finished off the set with a kill from Johnson to tie the match at one set apiece.
 
The Greyhounds flipped the script on the Bearcats in the third set, sprinting to an early lead and then withstood a rally from McKendree. Trailing 16-11, the Bearcats scored five of the next six points to rally within 17-16. Indianapolis regained its composure and fought off McKendree to grab a 2-1 lead in sets.
 
The fourth set featured eight ties and a pair of lead changes. McKendree led for the majority of the set but Indianapolis rallied to pull even at 19-19. The teams continued to trade points until an attack error by the Greyhounds gave the Bearcats the serve for set point at 27-26. Williams then notched her sixth kill of the set off a pass from Dickmann to knot the contest once again and force the Bearcats' second fifth set of the season.
 
Indianapolis scored the first two points of the fifth set before McKendree quickly tied things at 2-2. The teams again traded scores until another Greyhounds' attack error and a service ace from Williams gave the Bearcats the lead at 7-5. McKendree eventually stretch its margin to as many as three points before the Greyhounds put together one final rally, ripping off three consecutive points to tie matters at 12-12.
 
Williams stepped up once again, putting together back-to-back kills, which were followed by an Indianapolis attack error the complete the comeback and give the Bearcats their first five-set victory of the year.
 
Lynsey Hazelwood led Indianapolis with a match-high 17 kills, while Hailey Brown added 16 attacks. Meghan Binkerd handed out 48 assists and handled 19 digs for the Greyhounds to lead all players.