Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 10)—The McKendree University men's volleyball team snapped a three-match losing streak in impressive fashion with a three-set sweep Tuesday night at home against Culver-Stockton College. The Bearcats won by scores of 25-21, 25-18 and 25-19.
 
Sophomore Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) had the hot hand all night for the Bearcats as he set a new program record for kill percentage in a match. Patterson put down a match-high 15 kills in 17 total attempts without an error for a percentage of .882. As a team, McKendree hit .416 to improve to 4-8 overall. The Bearcats will return to Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) action Friday night at home against Grand Canyon University. First serve is at 7 p.m.
 
Freshman Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) also had a big night for McKendree with 10 kills along with three service aces. Schmidt also connected for a .533 hitting percentage against the Wildcats. Freshman Ian Zalewski (Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg) handed out 30 assists in the victory, while freshman Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) contributed seven kills along with a team-best five digs for the Bearcats.
 
In the first set, the teams traded leads until the middle stages, when McKendree scored five of six points to build a 21-16 advantage. Culver-Stockton battled back within 22-20 before a block from Schmidt and sophomore Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) followed by a service aces from Wilcox helped propel the Bearcats to the first-set win. McKendree never trailed in the second set thanks in part to hitting a torrid .615 in the contest. The Bearcats took their largest lead of the middle set at 22-14 on a kill by Wilcox that capped a 5-1 run.
 
Once again, McKendree did not trail in the third set, although the contest was tied on six different occasions. The Bearcats grabbed the lead for good at 7-6 on an attack by Wilcox that triggered a 5-2 burst. Culver-Stockton tried to rally in the later stages, but the Bearcats ripped off four consecutive points – capped by an ace from Schmidt – to extend its lead to 22-15.
 
Tanner Charron was the only player to reach double figures in kills for Culver-Stockton (5-9) with 11. Grant Thompson collected 21 assists for the Wildcats. Tuesday's sweep helped McKendree avenge a three-set loss to Culver-Stockton back on Jan. 23 at the Park University Invitational.