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(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 14)--The McKendree University women's volleyball team will look to make an already-memorable run at the 2014 Great Lakes Valley Conference Volleyball Tournament Championships even more special when it battles Truman State University for the GLVC post-season championship on Saturday. The Bearcats and Bulldogs are set for a noon first serve at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Ill.
Two of the hottest teams in the league will play for a berth into the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional, which will be held next week. McKendree brings a 20-12 overall record into the GLVC Championship, but is 11-4 over its last 15 matches dating back to Oct. 11. The Bearcats have won six of their seven sets played at the GLVC Volleyball Tournament Championship, including a three-set sweep on Friday afternoon over the No. 1 seed from the East Division, the University of Indianapolis. McKendree opened its run with a four-set triumph over the second-seeded team in the GLVC West Division, Rockhurst University.
Sophomore outside hitter
Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) has helped spark the Bearcats' run in the GLVC Tournament, putting down 29 kills while adding 12 assisted blocks in the two wins for McKendree. Freshman outside hitter
Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) (21) and senior outside hitter
Kelsey Johnson (Aviston, IL/Breese Central) (20) have both averaged double figures in attacks in the post-season. Senior defensive specialist
Abby Hanger (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) has held down the back row with 33 digs during that span, while the sophomore setter duo of
Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) and
Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) have combined to hand out 87 assists.
For McKendree to claim the GLVC Tournament championship, the Bearcats will have to knock off another higher-seeded squad. Truman State earned the top overall seed in the eight-team, single-elimination tournament -- and the No. 1 seed in the West -- by rolling to a 17-1 GLVC record this season. The Bulldogs are 27-3 overall and ranked No. 25 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II poll. Truman State has won each of its last four matches -- and 25 of its last 26 outings -- coming into Saturday's contest. The Bulldogs needed five sets to hold off Missouri S & T in the other GLVC Tournament semifinal match played on Friday.
Allie Brak, the 2014 GLVC Player of the Year, put down a team-high 25 kills to help Truman State rally from a 2-1 deficit to take down Missouri S & T. Meghan Zimmerman dished out 57 assists in the effort, while Abby Moser, the conference's Libero of the Year, handled 28 digs against the Miners.
McKendree and Truman State met way back on Sept. 20 at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center, with the Bulldogs holding on to win in four sets. The Bearcats won the opening set before Truman State bounced back to sweep the final three. Williams led McKendree with 20 kills and 20 digs in the match, while Howe dished out 32 assists for the Bearcats. Brak paced the Bulldogs with 15 attacks as Zimmerman notched 39 assists and Moser had 12 digs.
Saturday's match will mark the first time in 10 years that the McKendree volleyball program will be playing for a conference tournament championship. Back in 2004, the Bearcats were swept by Columbia College in the finals of the American Midwest Conference Tournament.
