Box Score (BELMONT, N.C., March 7)—Four different players reached double figures in kills in leading the McKendree University men's volleyball team to a four-set victory Saturday in non-conference play at Belmont Abbey College. The Bearcats prevailed by scores of 25-19, 23-25, 25-23 and 25-19.
 
Sophomore middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) put down a team-high 13 kills while hitting .474 to help show the way for McKendree. Freshman middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) added 12 attacks and a .476 hitting percentage, while freshman opposite Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) also had 12 kills. Sophomore right-side hitter Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) chipped in with 11 kills on the night for the Bearcats, who notched their second straight victory.
 
Freshman setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) handed out a match-high 47 assists and also led McKendree with four blocks on the night. Freshman libero Evan Lockwood (Maitland, FL/Winter Park) handled eight digs in the back row in the effort.
 
McKendree improves to 7-12 overall and will continue its three-match road swing Sunday afternoon with a contest at Limestone College. First serve is set for 4 p.m. ET.
 
In the first set, McKendree hit .417 as a team in grabbing an early lead. The Bearcats broke open a close set by scoring four of five points to build a 13-9 advantage. Fiduccia played a big role in the burst with a pair of assisted blocks along with an assist on a kill by Walker. McKendree slowly pulled away to take the opening contest. The teams battled through a tight second set that featured 10 ties and four lead changes. The set was knotted at 22-22 when the Crusaders scored three of the final four points to even the match.
 
Following the intermission, McKendree jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the third set and never trailed to regain the lead. Belmont Abbey rallied to within a point on five different occasions, the last coming at 24-23 before Wilcox finished off the set with a kill off a pass from Fiduccia.
 
The fourth set was close early until McKendree reeled off five consecutive points to grab a 19-14 lead it would not relinquish. Walker had two kills while Patterson figured in a pair of blocks during the spurt.
 
Nolan Albrecht led Belmont Abbey (6-7) with 13 kills while Anthony Pippen had 10 attacks. Derek Sullivan collected 32 assists and a match-high six blocks on the night for the Crusaders.