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McKENDREE SEASON STATISTICS
INDIANAPOLIS SEASON STATISTICS
SAINT JOSEPH'S SEASON STATISTICS

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(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 3)--The McKendree University volleyball team will head east for a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference contests this weekend. The Bearcats will be at the University of Indianapolis for a 7 p.m. ET first serve on Friday before making the trip to Rensselear, Ind., to battle Saint Joseph's College Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.

McKendree looks to continue its winning ways as the Bearcats have prevailed in each of their last two league contests. The Bearcats moved to 7-6 overall and 4-3 in the GLVC following a four-set victory Tuesday night at the University of Illinois Springfield. It was a balanced offensive attack as four McKendree players reached double figures in kills at UIS. Sophomore middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) led the charge with 14 attacks, while junior right-side hitter Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) connected for 13 kills and a .440 hitting percentage. Senior outside hitter Kelsey Johnson (Aviston, IL/Breese Central) had her third straight career-high effort with 12 kills, and freshman outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) notched 10 kills. 

Senior setter Abby Hanger (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) handed out 30 assists in the match and needs just five entering the weekend to hit the 1,500-assist mark for her McKendree career. Freshman setter Ashly Schmitt (Johnsburg, IL/Johnsburg) helped out with 14 digs in the back row. 

Williams continues to lead McKendree with 139 kills on the season, while Fairman has posted 121 attacks and Apetz reached the century mark during the UIS match and has 105 attacks. In addition to leading the Bearcats in kills, Williams and Johnson are tied for the team lead with 12 service aces through 13 matches. Johnson currently ranks fifth in the GLVC in service aces as she averages 0.38 per set. Fairman leads McKendree with a .327 hitting percentage, which is good for seventh in the GLVC.

Fairman paces the front row with 38 blocks, while junior right-side hitter Taylor Voss (Breese, IL/Breese Central) is next with 23 blocks. Hanger and sophomore setter Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) are the top two Bearcats in assists this season. Hanger has handed out 251 on the year while Howe has collected 207 assists. 

In the back row, Schmitt has collected a team-best 128 digs, while Hanger and Williams are tied for second at 115. 

ABOUT INDIANAPOLIS
After a slow start to their 2014 season, the Greyhounds enter Friday's match with an overall record of 7-5. Indianapolis has won three straight contests and six of their last seven. The Greyhounds are currently tied for the lead in the GLVC East with a 6-1 record, and they sit two games in front of McKendree in the division standings. UIndy swept Saint Joseph's at home in its last match on Tuesday. 

Junior outside hitter Hailey Brown leads the way for Indianapolis with 132 kills, while junior outside hitter Lynsey Hazelwood had added 101 attacks. Brown is second in the GLVC in kills, averaging 3.77 per set. Senior middle blocker Julia Watkins has put down a team-leading 22 blocks for the Greyhounds, and senior setter Meghan Binkerd sits third in the GLVC in assists, averaging 11.52 per set (380 total assists). 

Senior defensive specialist Kimberly Trojan anchors the back row for Indianapolis with 176 digs, and is third among all GLVC players as she handles just over five digs per set. 

In 2013, McKendree and Indianapolis battled for five sets on Oct. 12 at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center in Lebanon. The Bearcats scored the final four points in the fifth set to rally for a 3-2 victory over the Greyhounds, who were ranked No. 25 at the time in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll. It marked the first-ever victory over an AVCA-ranked opponent for McKendree. 

ABOUT SAINT JOSEPH'S
The Pumas come into the weekend with a season record of 3-10 and a 1-6 mark in the GLVC. Saint Joseph's has dropped each of its last five contests, included the three-set loss at Indianapolis on Tuesday. The last victory for the Pumas came on Sept. 17 in a four-set home triumph over the University of St. Francis (Ill.). 

Kate Wagenaar tops the team with 130 kills while Anna Sacco is next with 118 attacks. Sacco also has a team-leading 44 blocks and is second on the squad with 13 service aces. Bridget Krasowski has served up 20 aces this season, which places her second among all players in the conference. 

Megan Sturm has dished out 257 assists to pace the Pumas, while Katie Dugan leads all back row players for the team with 132 digs. 

Last season, Saint Joseph's edged McKendree in five sets on Oct. 11 in Lebanon, 3-2. The Pumas rallied to win the final two sets to steal the win away from the Bearcats. 

After the weekend action, McKendree will return home to begin a three-match home stand, which begins with a non-conference tussle on Wednesday against Missouri Baptist University. The Spartans are currently ranked No. 18 in the latest NAIA coaches' poll.