Box Score (PARKVILLE, Mo., March 22)—The McKendree University men's volleyball team was swept in a best-of-five match Saturday afternoon at Park University. The host Pirates took the contest by scores of 25-17, 25-14 and 25-16.
 
Saturday's contest marked the final road game of the 2014 season for McKendree, which is sponsoring its inaugural season of men's volleyball. The Bearcats are now 8-20 overall and will play the final two matches of the year at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center, beginning with a 3 p.m. first serve on Friday against Quincy University.
 
A trio of McKendree freshmen – middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor), outside hitter Mike Polizzi and outside hitter Spencer Sweetin (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) – shared team-high honors with five kills each on Saturday against Park. Freshman setter Jack MacLean dished out 20 assists versus the Pirates, while freshman libero Brice Miller (O'Fallon, IL/Althoff Catholic) notched six digs.
 
Park, ranked No. 3 in the NAIA, had a big offensive day against McKendree with 41 kills and a .569 hitting percentage. The Pirates never trailed in any of the three sets on Saturday, although the Bearcats pulled even on four different occasions spread throughout the first two games. Park scored four of the first five points in the first set before McKendree battled back and pulled even at 8-8 thanks to a kill from freshman outside hitter Dustin Borenstein (Highland Park, IL/Highland Park). The Pirates quickly regrouped and scored the next seven points to take control in the set.
 
In the second set, Park opened on an 8-3 run and hit .765 to command the contest and grab a two-set lead over McKendree. The Bearcats withstood another fast start from Park in the third set to rally within 15-14 on a kill by Sweetin. The Pirates went on to seal the sweep by scoring the next four points as part of a 10-2 run to close the match.
 
Three different players had eight kills for Park (22-4), including Fabricio Toledo, who registered a hitting percentage of .800 in the contest. Rob Cordero handed out 35 assists, while Kastan Maness handled a match-high seven digs.
 
The teams will meet one more time in the Bearcats' season finale on April 4 in Lebanon.