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Box Score 2 (PARKVILLE, Mo., Jan. 23)—The McKendree University men's volleyball team earned a split of its two matches during day one action Friday at the Park University Invitational in Parkville, Mo. The Bearcats needed five sets to take down Graceland University for the Bearcats' first victory of the 2015 season before being swept in Friday's nightcap by Culver-Stockton College.
The split gives McKendree an overall record of 1-4. The Bearcats will have two more matches on Saturday during the Park Invitational, beginning with an 11 a.m. meeting against Clarke University. McKendree will wrap up tournament action with a 3 p.m. contest versus Morningside College.
Freshman opposite
Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) had a big offensive day for McKendree with 22 kills, including 12 in the Culver-Stockton match. Sophomore middle blocker
Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) added 15 attacks on the day with seven blocks, five of which came in the Graceland victory.
Against Graceland, McKendree rallied from a 2-1 deficit by taking the final two sets to earn its first win of the year. The Bearcats won by scores of 25-19, 22-25, 15-25, 25-21 and 15-12.
McKendree posted a .423 hitting percentage in taking the first set. After the Bearcats grabbed an early lead, Graceland pulled within 13-12 before a 5-1 run helped McKendree stretch its advantage to 18-13. The Bearcats were able to maintain that lead and hold on for the set victory. The Yellow Jackets responded by winning the next two sets to take the lead in the contest.
In set four, McKendree led from start to finish in squaring the contest and forcing a fifth set. The teams traded leads in the deciding contest before the Bearcats took control late, scoring the final five points to rally for the win. A kill by freshman outside hitter
Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) put McKendree in front to stay at 13-12.
Wilcox and Rueter each collected 10 kills against Graceland, while Patterson finished with seven kills and a team-high five blocks. Freshman setters
Ian Zalewski (Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg) and Pasquale FIduccia each handed out 17 assists in the win.
Against Culver-Stockton, the Wildcats controlled the tempo early in building a two-set lead. McKendree then overcame a 6-1 deficit in the third set by rallying to take a 12-10 lead. The teams then battled down the stretch before Culver-Stockton was able to score the final two points to complete the sweep in the best-of-five contest.
Wilcox was the only McKendree player to record double figures in kills with his 12 attacks. Zalewski handed out a match-high 21 assists versus the Wildcats.
