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Bearcats Season Stats
Tritons Season Stats
(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 17) – The McKendree University women's volleyball will take on the University of Missouri-St. Louis Friday evening in East Peoria, Ill., at the Eastside Centre in the first round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.
The Bearcats earned the second seed in the East Division after posting a 16-2 mark in league play this season and sit at 21-9 overall. McKendree qualified for the tournament for the third consecutive year after earning the No. 3 seed in 2014 and the No. 1 seed a season ago.
The Tritons hold the No. 3 seed in the West Division after going 18-11 in the regular season and 12-6 in GLVC play. The top three teams from each division qualify for the tournament along with two wild card teams that can come from either side of the GLVC based on the best overall record in GLVC matches. Missouri-St. Louis enters the weekend on a five match win streak and has won its most games – both overall and in the GLVC – since 2011, while McKendree has won seven straight and topped the 20 win plateau for the third straight season. Both teams were solid at home with the Tritons going 8-2 and the Bearcats posting a perfect 10-0 record.
McKendree came out ahead of Missouri-St. Louis in a 3-0 decision in the programs only meeting this season on Oct. 29.
The Bearcats are led by junior outside hitter
Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) who finished second in the GLVC in both kills and kills per set this season with 408 and 3.68. Williams has also averaged 3.26 digs per set this season. Senior outside hitter
Allison Schneider (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh) ranks second on the team with 327 kills for an average of 2.97 per set to pair with 1.89 digs per set. Senior middle hitter
Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) has put down 2.40 kills per set this season and finished second in the league in attack percentage at .374. Junior right side
Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) rounds out the top attackers for McKendree, averaging 2.12 kills per set this season.
Sophomore setter
Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) has handed out a team high 5.66 assists per set this season to go with 1.55 digs per set. Senior setter
Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) adds 5.52 assists per set for the Bearcats along with 1.66 digs per set. Junior middle blocker
Carissa Lorenz (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West) ranks fifth in the GLVC with 1.05 blocks per set, adding 1.17 kills per set. Senior defensive specialist
Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) has tabbed 2.44 digs per set this season, while freshman libero
Alissa Zeitelhack (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley West) has stuck 2.80 digs per set as McKendree has limited its opponents to a .166 team hitting percentage this season.
The Tritons unit features three freshmen among their top four attackers including right side hitters Selena Nolte, who averages a team-best 2.50 kills per set, and Kylie Rudsinksi who adds 2.16 kills per set. Freshman outside hitter Morgan Childers follows with 1.99 kills per set, while senior middle blocker Lexi Rogers is averaging 2.35 kills and 0.99 blocks per set, while hitting a team-best .336.
Junior setter Madyson Abeyta is one of two setters in the offense averaging 5.61 assists per set along with 1.85 digs with freshman Kendall Buchman adding 4.72 assists and 1.96 digs per set. Junior libero
Danielle Waedekin has put up 5.35 digs per set for Missouri-St. Louis this season.
The GLVC will be providing live video on the GLVC Sports Network for every match at the 2016 GLVC Championship Tournament. The GLVC Tournament Central link above contains links to all live media, as well as all the information you need for this year's tournament.
