Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 2)—For the first time since joining the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2012, McKendree has posted a 10-win season in league play. The Bearcats accomplished this feat with a three-set sweep Sunday afternoon at home against William Jewell College. McKendree won by scores of 25-17, 25-13 and 27-25.
 
The sweep gives McKendree an overall record of 16-11. The Bearcats are now 10-6 in the GLVC. McKendree was 9-9 in league play back in 2012 and went 8-10 against conference foes a season ago. The Bearcats still have two GLVC matches remaining in the regular season, which will come next weekend at Lewis University and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
 
First, McKendree will wrap up its home season on Wednesday with a non-conference match against the University of Missouri-St. Louis. First serve is set for 7 p.m. Prior to the contest, McKendree will honor its two senior players – Abby Hanger (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) and Kelsey Johnson (Aviston, IL/Breese Central) – on Senior Night.
 
Against William Jewell, sophomore middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) connected for a match-high 11 kills to lead the way for McKendree. Junior right-side hitter Taylor Voss (Breese, IL/Breese Central) and freshman outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) each had six attacks, while Johnson helped out with five kills and a career-high six service aces. Sophomore setter Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) dished out 14 assists to lead all players, and sophomore setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) was close behind with 13 sets. Hanger anchored the back row with 13 digs for the Bearcats.
 
In the first set, William Jewell (3-23, 1-15 GLVC) scored the first three points before McKendree answered with a 6-0 run to take the lead for good. The Bearcats put together a 5-0 run later in the set to take its largest lead at 22-12 before cruising to a 1-0 lead in the match. The teams traded leads in the early stages of the second set when Johnson served up four consecutive aces as part of a burst of five consecutive points that pushed the Bearcats out to a 10-5 advantage. McKendree slowly pulled away from there, closing with a 7-1 run that gave McKendree a two-set lead in the match.
 
McKendree raced to a 5-1 lead in the third set before William Jewell began to battle back. The Cardinals chipped away at the deficit and pulled even at 19-19. The Bearcats clawed their way back in front and served for the match at 24-21. William Jewell responded by scoring the next three points to tie the match at 24-24. The teams traded points once more before a Cardinals' attack error and a kill from Williams closed out the sweep.
 
Christina Pratt and Kaylee Marquardt each had four kills to lead a balanced attack for William Jewell. Lauren Holm handled a match-high 14 digs for the Cardinals.