Box Score Box Score

(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 5) – The McKendree University volleyball team cruised to a three-set sweep over Drury University on senior day Friday afternoon in the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. The Bearcats won by scores 28-26, 25-22, and 25-17.

McKendree improves to 19-9 overall and 13-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Bearcats honored seniors Jaden McBride (Farmington, MO/Farmington), Lauren Apetz (Glenwood, FL/DeLand), Hannah Wessel (Waterloo, IL/Gibault Catholic), and Taylor Voss (Breese, IL/Breese Central) during a pregame ceremony as they participated in their last home matches as members of the McKendree volleyball program.

The Bearcats were led by sophomore outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) who posted a match high 16 kills and 13 digs. Junior middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) put down 10 kills on 17 attempts for a .529 attack percentage. Wessel and Apetz each had solid days for McKendree putting down nine kills each, Wessel added 12 digs and Apetz contributed three blocks.  
Freshman setter Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) had a match high 22 assists to pair with five digs. Junior setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) handed out 21 assist, and sophomore libero put up nine digs from the back row to help the Bearcats from the back row.

Drury started strong as they opened with a 7-3 lead early in the first set. McKendree rebounded with five straight points, including four kills from four different Bearcats, to claim an 8-7 lead. McKendree kept rolling after a kill from the Panthers putting on a 13-3 run. The Panthers clawed back to cut the lead to one at 22-21. After trading points the Bearcats used a pair of kills from Wessel to seal a 28-26 win.

Set two had a similar theme as the Bearcats took an early 8-5 lead. The lead extended to six after a four point run with a pair of kills from Wessel and one from Fairman. Once again Drury charged back to pull within two at 21-19. McKendree put down back to back kills from Apetz and Fairman to keep the Panthers at an arm's length as Williams capped off the set with a kill to win by three.

The Bearcats opened up another early lead in the third set 4-2. After a Drury service error McKendree went on a three kill spree at the hands of Williams and Voss to send the lead to five. The Panthers responded with a 6-2 run to cut the lead to 10-9, but the Bearcats roared back with four straight points to reclaim a five point lead. Drury had one last push cutting the lead to two points, but could not get over the hump as the Bearcats closed on an 8-3 run to complete the sweep.

McKendree returns to action Tuesday as the Bearcats begin their final road trip of the year with a match against the University of Illinois Springfield at 7 p.m.