GAME DAY LINKS --Â
McKENDREE vs. IPFW -- Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015, 7 p.m. -- Harry M. Statham Sports Center
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McKENDREE SEASON STATISTICS
IPFW SEASON STATISTICS
(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 27)--The McKendree University will face IPFW (Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne) for the second time in a week when the Mastodons come to Lebanon for a meeting with the Bearcats on Saturday evening. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.
The last time the two squads met, McKendree and IPFW -- ranked No. 12 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll -- battled to the finish in a five-set thriller. The Bearcats rallied from a 2-1 match deficit to win set four and force the deciding set. McKendree then fought back from a four-point deficit before dropping a 15-13 decision in the finale of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) contest.
Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) put down a team-best 14 kills while
Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) added 10 attacks against the Mastodons.
Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) handed out 48 assists in the effort as
Brice Miller (O'Fallon, IL/Althoff Catholic) handled 12 digs to lead the back row.Â
McKendree brings a 5-12 overall record and an 0-9 MIVA mark into Saturday's match. The Bearcats have five players with at least 100 kills on the season, including a team-best 190 from Wilcox.
Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor), who is second on the squad with 126 attacks, leads McKendree with a sizzling .470 hitting percentage.Â
IPFW is 10-4 overall and 4-2 in league play. The Mastodons are led by junior opposite Andrew Sellan and his 179 kills. Freshman outside hitter Alex Harthaller is next with 145 attacks. Senior middle blocker Ramon Burgos, who has collected 102 kills to date, leads the team with 55 blocks up front. Senior Omar Rivera has posted a team-leading 563 assists, and his 10.62 assists per set ranks third in the MIVA. Junior libero Luis Bertran tops all conference players with 134 digs and a 2.53 digs per set average.Â
Following Saturday's match, McKendree will have another week off before heading south for a three-match swing through the Carolinas. First up on the road trip will be a March 7 contest at Belmont Abbey College.Â