Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., September 26)—The McKendree University volleyball team dropped a three-set decision Friday night at home to Lewis University in a Great Lakes Valley Conference match. The visiting Flyers posted the sweep by scores of 25-18, 25-22 and 25-16.
 
The loss sends McKendree to 5-6 on the year and 2-3 in GLVC play. The Bearcats will look to bounce back in the win column Saturday afternoon when the University of Wisconsin-Parkside comes to Lebanon for another GLVC tilt. First serve is set for 3 p.m. The contest will wrap up a season-long six-match home stand for McKendree.
 
Senior outside hitter Kelsey Johnson (Aviston, IL/Breese Central) paced McKendree with a career-high 11 kills while adding nine digs. Junior right-side hitter Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) connected for seven attacks, while freshman libero Ashly Schmitt (Johnsburg, IL/Johnsburg) handled a match-high 14 digs in the back row for the Bearcats. Sophomore setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) handed out 16 assists to pace McKendree, and senior setter Abby Hanger (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) was close behind with 14 sets.
 
In the first set, McKendree held a slight lead in the early stages before Lewis used a 7-2 spurt to grab an 18-14 advantage. The Bearcats clawed back with three straight points, punctuated by a kill from junior right-side hitter Taylor Voss (Breese, IL/Breese Central), to pull within 18-17. But the Flyers regrouped to close the set on a 7-1 run to take an early lead in the contest.
 
Lewis broke open a close second set by scoring five consecutive points to build a 17-9 lead. Moments later, McKendree battled back once again and ripped off seven straight points to tie the set at 20-20. The teams traded points until the 22-22 mark, when the Flyers posted the final three points to stretch its lead to two sets.
 
After McKendree took an early lead in the third set, Lewis slowly took control in the middle stages to finish off the sweep. Kim Vertin led the Flyers (9-3, 4-1 GLVC) with 11 kills, while Leigh Barea dished out a match-high 30 assists and Amy Choi handled 11 digs in the effort.