(Aurora, IL. October 17)—The McKendree University volleyball dropped a five-set decision to Ashland University in its final match of the Midwest Regional Crossover Challenge. The Bearcats fells by scores of 27-25, 25-15, 23-25, 18-25, and 9-15. McKendree finished with a 1-2 record in the Crossover Challenge.

The Bearcats drop to 13-8 overall and are 7-2 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play this season.

Sophomore outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) paced McKendree with a double-double. Williams put down a match high 25 kills with a .468 attack percentage and 11 digs. Junior outside hitter Allison Schneider (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh) notched a double-double of her own with 13 kills and 17 digs.

Junior setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) tallied 34 assists and eight digs for the Bearcats, junior setter Rebecca Nauman (Yorkville, IL/Yorkville) added 18 assists, and sophomore outside hitter Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) finished with 13 kills. Sophomore libero Ashly Schmidt put up 14 digs to aid McKendree defensively.

The Bearcats were thrown into a marathon first set to start the match against the Eagles. McKendree edged Ashland down the stretch needing an extended set to clinch the set by two. The Bearcats trailed 18-20 before taking nine of the last 14 points to steal the set from the Eagles. Williams led Mckendree with seven kills in set one.

The Bearcats strolled through the second set jumping out to a 10-2 lead with a pair of kills from Geiger as well as kills by Schneider and Williams. The Eagles showed some life cutting into the lead in the middle stages of the set, but McKendree utilized a five point including two kills from Williams to put a strangle hold on Ashland as the Bearcats clinched the set by 10 points.

Things tightened in the third set as the teams played even through the first 20 points. The back and forth set consisted of 13 ties and six lead changes as the Eagles would not go down without a fight. Ashland used two kills and an ace to bust the set open at 23-20, which was their largest lead of the set. The Bearcats cut the lead to one taking three of the next four points before the Eagles put down the deciding kill.

Ashland found hope with the third set win and used that momentum to open up an 8-2 lead in the fourth set. McKendree slowly worked its way back into the match and after back to back kills from Geiger and Schneider the lead was cut to just one point at 17-16 forcing an Eagles timeout. Ashland responded with five straight points out of the timeout to open up a six point lead and put the set out of reach.

The deciding set was all Ashland as the Eagles began the set on a 5-0 run and extended the lead at 10-4. The six point difference was set in stone as the Eagles clinched the final set by that margin to earn the come from behind victory.

McKendree returns home Friday at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center against the University of Wisonsin-Parkside at 7 p.m.