LIVE STATS

McKENDREE SASON STATISTICS
FERRIS STATE SEASON STATISTICS
SAGINAW VALLEY SEASON STATISTICS
ASHALND SEASON STATISTICS
 
(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 15)--The McKendree University volleyball team will head north this weekend to compete in the Mizuno Midwest Region Volleyball Crossover, which will be held Friday and Saturday at the Great Lakes Center in Aurora, Ill. This will be the eighth year of the Crossover Challenge, and the fourth time that the Bearcats will be a part of the field. 
 
The 16 teams from the Great Lakes Valley Conference – of which the Bearcats are members – the 16 schools from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and four institutions from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, were seeded for the two-day event based on their conference standings through matches from this past weekend. There will be three match sessions each day on eight courts at the Great Lakes Center, with contests being played at 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Friday and at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday. In all, there are a total of 54 matches contested in this tournament consisting of regional rivals. McKendree picked up the No. 3 seed in the GLVC, which is the Bearcats' highest seed in the four years they have participated in the event.

McKendree will have a pair of matches Friday starting at 11 a.m. versus top seeded GLIAC squad and nationally ranked No. 3 Ferris State University. The Bearcats will follow that up with a 5:30 p.m. night cap against Saginaw Valley State, the GLIAC's No. 8 seed. McKendree will wrap up its Crossover weekend with a Saturday afternoon match against No. 4 seeded Ashland University. The Bearcats have only played Ferris State this season, falling in three sets at the Ferris State Invitational on Sept. 5 in Big Rapids, MI.

The Bearcats have fared well in each of their first three Crossover Challenge events. McKendree has won six of its nine matches all-time in the tournament, posting a 2-1 record each time. The Bearcats have been involved with the Crossover Challenge since becoming a member of the GLVC prior to the 2012 season. 

The Bearcats are currently 12-6 overall and 7-2 in GLVC play. McKendree is in second place in the GLVC East Division standings. The Crossover Challenge will bring to an end the Bearcats current five-match road trip. Following the trip to Aurora, McKendree will return home the Harry M. Statham Sports Center with a pair of GLVC matchups.

Sophomore outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) continues to lead the Bearcats with 215 kills averaging 3.31 per set, which is fifth in the GLVC. Williams adds 219 digs and 18 service aces for McKendree. Junior middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) is second on the team with 173 kills and is third in the GLVC in hitting percentage at .382. Fairman also leads the Bearcats with 74 blocks, averaging 1.17 per set. Junior outside hitter Allison Schneider (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh) rounds out the three headed attack for McKendree with 143 kills and 140 digs.

Junior Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) and Freshman Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) share the setting duties for the Bearcats. Dickmann has dished out 410 assists averaging 6.41 per set, along with 120 digs. Melchert has 318 assists to pair with 131 digs. Junior libero Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) has put up 198 digs from the back row to aid McKendree defensively.

ABOUT FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY

The No. 3 Bulldogs come into the Crossover Challenge with an overall record of 17-1 and a 9-0 mark in GLIAC play. Ferris State is on a five-match win streak after their lone loss to the No. 7 ranked Wheeling Jesuit in three sets. The Bearcats and Bulldogs have already met once this season with Ferris State taking a 3-0 win on Sept. 5 in Big Rapids, MI., at the Ferris State Invitational. McKendree and Ferris State share two common opponents thus far. Both teams topped Metro State University and California University of Pennsylvania.

Senior outside hitter Megan Vander Meer leads the Bulldogs with 191 kills, averaging 3.18 per set. Senior middle hitter Caroline Heitzman is a close second with 181 kills and a team high .325 hitting percentage. Heitzman also leads Ferris State with 60 blocks, averaging 1.05 per set. Junior Stephanie Sikorski handles the setting duties for the Bulldogs with 580 of the teams 746 assists. Sikorski averages 9.67 assists per set. Senior libero Danielle Dowd paces Ferris State with 262 digs on the back end.

ABOUT SAGINAW VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY

McKendree will face another tough GLIAC opponent in the Saginaw Valley State Cardinals. The Cardinals bring a 14-3 record into the Crossover Challenge including a 6-3 record in the GLIAC. Saginaw Valley shares four common opponents with the Bearcats. The Cardinals are 4-1 in those matches, topping California (PA) twice. McKendree is 3-1 against common opponents with both teams sharing a 3-0 loss to Ferris State.

Saginaw Valley uses a three headed attack, with junior Andrea Brigham leading the charge putting down 208 kills along with 151 digs. Brigham averages 3.25 kills and 2.36 digs per set. Junior Kaylee Schmitt is second on the team with 199 kills. Schmitt leads the Cardinals with a .333 attack percentage. Sophomore Tamara Heller rounds out the three pronged attack with 125 kills and 218 digs for Saginaw Valley. Junior setter Kelly Vellucci has 670 assists on the season, averaging 10.47 per set. Vellucci pairs that with 206 digs to aid the Cardinals defensively. Brooke Tiller leads Saginaw Valley with 368 digs, putting up nearly six per set.

ABOUT ASHLAND UNIVERSITY

The Eagles will be the final test for the Bearcats, coming in with a 12-5 record, and matching McKendree with a 7-2 record in conference play. Ashland shares two common opponents with McKendree, going 2-1 in those matches, while the Bearcats are 0-2. The Eagles topped the University of Indianapolis twice, while falling to Ferris State 3-0.

Ashland is led by junior outside hitter Alli Cudworth. Cudworth leads the team in kills (270), kills per set (4.22), and attack percentage (.304). Junior outside hitter Casey Clark is second on the team with 159 kills along with a team high 194 digs, averaging over three per set. Senior middle blocker Samantha Zuber rounds out the top three scorers for the Eagles with 139 kills, while also tabbing 53 blocks. Junior setter Mallory Slyder paces Ashland with 588 assists averaging 9.64 per set, adding 142 digs for the Eagles.