(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 22)--The McKendree University volleyball team will host a pair of key Great Lakes Valley Conference contests this weekend at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. The Bearcats will face two East Division opponents starting Friday at 7 p.m. with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside before closing out the weekend with a 3 p.m. tilt against Lewis University.
McKendree is 13-8 overall and 7-2 in the GLVC this season, currently sitting in second place in the East Division and third overall. The Bearcats face two high stakes matches as Wisconsin-Parkside sits just one game back of McKendree, while No. 18 Lewis comes in one spot ahead of the Bearcats.
Fridays match against Wisconsin-Parkside will also mark the Bearcats annual Dig Pink Night. The McKendree volleyball program will honor cancer survivors and those who have fought the battle against the disease in a special ceremony following the second set.
McKendree is led by sophomore outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) who has a team high 258 kills and 263 digs for the Bearcats. Williams is currently fifth in the GLVC in kills per set at 3.31. Junior middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) is second in kills with 193 and leads McKendree with 84 blocks. Junior outside hitter Allison Schneider (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh) rounds out the top three scorers for the Bearcats with 184 kills and 188 digs. Schneider is currently in the midst of a seven match stretch with a double-double.
Junior setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) paces McKendree with 489 assists, while contributing 146 digs. Freshman setter Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) has paired 327 assists with 135 digs for the Bearcats. Sophomore outside hitter Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) and senior middle hitter Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand) are the only other Bearcats north of 100 kills with 114 and 102 respectively. Junior libero Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) has 214 digs from the back row averaging 3.19 per set for McKendree.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE
Wisconsin-Parkside (15-6, 6-3 GLVC) enters the weekend just one game behind the Bearcats in the GLVC East. The Rangers are led by a pair of outside hitters in junior Rebecca Roembke and sophomore Jackie Langer. Roembke has a team high 309 kills averaging 3.81 per set to go along with 189 digs and 20 blocks. Langer has 281 kills at a rate of 3.47 per set as well as 211 digs and 29 blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Lexi Turek also plays a prominent role for Wisconsin-Parkside with 178 kills, and leads the Rangers with a .294 attack percentage. The Rangers are 6-1 against common opponents, dropping the lone match to Saginaw Valley State, while the Bearcats, who are also 6-1 lost to the University of Indianapolis.
ABOUT LEWIS UNIVERSITY
Lewis enters the weekend as the No. 18 team in the nation with a record of 21-1 overall and 11-0 in the GLVC. The first place Flyers sport a balanced offensive attack with four players topping 180 kills. Fifth year senior right side Alexis Davito has a team high in kills (227) and attack percentage (.332). Freshman outside hitter Elizabeth Hyland is right behind her with 225 kills, adding 242 digs and 34 blocks. Sophomore right side Maddie Seliga and sophomore middle hitter Aly Schneider have a 184 and 182 kills, rounding out the Flyers potent offense. Schneider also leads Lewis in total blocks with 90, averaging 1.17 per set. Junior libero Nicole Yuede leads the Flyers in digs with 379. Lewis is 4-0 against common opponents with McKendree. The Bearcats are 3-1 in those matches, with the only loss coming at the hands of the University of Indianapolis.
