Box Score (SPRINGFIELD, Ill., September 30)—The McKendree University volleyball team opened a three-match road trip with a four-set victory Tuesday night at the University of Illinois Springfield. The Bearcats took the best-of-five match by scores of 25-15, 23-25, 25-23 and 25-19.
 
Four different players reached double figures in kills as McKendree won its second straight Great Lakes Valley Conference match. The Bearcats are now 7-6 overall and move to 4-3 in the GLVC. McKendree will head east for a pair of league matches this weekend, beginning with a 7 p.m. ET contest on Friday at the University of Indianapolis.
 
Sophomore middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) led the offensive surge for McKendree with a match-high 14 kills while hitting .379 for the contest. Junior right-side hitter Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) added 13 attacks and hit a team-high .440 on the night. Senior outside hitter Kelsey Johnson (Aviston, IL/Breese Central) connected for a career-best 12 kills and helped out with nine digs, while freshman outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) posted 10 kills and eight digs in the winning effort.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Bailey Kampwerth (Breese, IL/Mater Dei) also had a big night for McKendree, posting a season-high seven kills while leading the Bearcats with three blocks.
 
Freshman libero Ashly Schmitt (Johnsburg, IL/Johnsburg) anchored the back row by leading all players with 14 digs for the Bearcats. Senior setter Abby Hanger (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) handed out 30 assists and needs just five to reach the 1,500-mark for her career. Sophomore setter Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) contributed 18 sets in the win for McKendree.
 
In the first set, McKendree broke open a close contest thanks to a 7-1 run that pushed the Bearcats out to a 15-8 lead. Fairman and Apetz each had two kills during the spurt for McKendree. The Bearcats led by as many as 11 points in taking the early lead over Illinois Springfield. The Prairie Stars knotted the match by overcoming a late four-point deficit to steal the second set at 25-23.
 
There were 12 ties and four lead changes in the third set, but it was McKendree that had the late surge to take a 2-1 lead in sets. Illinois Springfield held a 22-20 lead when the Bearcats scored five of the final six points to swing the momentum back in their favor. Johnson scored off an attack to tie the set at 23-23 before Williams followed with another kill.
 
McKendree took control early in the fourth and final set, scoring the first five points and seven of the first nine. The Bearcats extended the margin to as many as 10 points on three different occasions in completing the match victory.
 
Nikki Madoch led Illinois Springfield (3-8, 1-6 GLVC) with 13 kills, while Shelby Geers chipped in with 10 attacks and four blocks.
 
      The teams will meet once more on Oct. 28 at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center in Lebanon.