(LEBANON, Ill., Nov. 4)—The McKendree University volleyball team pulled off a 3-0 sweep over Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Drury University Friday evening in Springfield, MO. The Bearcats won by scores of 25-23, 25-22, and 25-23.  

McKendree moves to 17-9 overall with the win and 12-2 in GLVC play. The Bearcats return to action tomorrow with a 5 p.m. tilt against Missouri S&T in Rolla, MO.

McKendree was paced offensively by junior outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) who was the only Bearcat to reach double figures in kills as she tallied a double-double with match high 14 kills and 12 digs. Senior right side Allison Schneider (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh) finished second on the team with nine kills and 12 digs, while junior right side Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) posted seven kills, three digs, and two blocks.

Senior setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) dealt a match high 20 assists to go with eight digs and sophomore setter Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) compiled 16 assists and three digs. Senior middle hitter Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) put down six kills, while junior middle blocker Carissa Lorenz (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West) put down four kills and two blocks. Senior defensive specialist Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) stuck 11 digs while freshman libero Alissa Zeitelhack (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley West) tallied eight digs from the back row as the Bearcats held the Panthers to a .122 team attack percentage.

Lorenz, Williams, and Geiger each put down a kill as McKendree opened the match with an early 4-2 lead. Drury bounced back with four straight points to go in front 6-4, before Williams bookended a 4-1 run for the Bearcats with a pair of kills to recapture the lead 9-8. The Panthers rallied for three straight, but McKendree responded with a 5-0 run of their own that included kills from Williams and Schneider. Drury capitalized on three straight errors by the Bearcats to tie things at 15-15 before using another 3-0 spree to take a 21-19 lead. McKendree rallied on kills from Lorenz and Schneider down the stretch to come back and steal the first set by two.

Geiger carried the load early in the second set with four early kills to give the Bearcats a 7-5 lead. Drury countered with a 4-0 run to go on top 10-8, but Schneider scored a pair of kills and Williams and Fairman each chipped in a kill as McKendree rattled off an 8-3 run to go ahead 19-14. Drury used a 5-0 run to close the gap, cutting the lead to just one point at 23-22, but Williams halted the run with a kills as the Bearcats scored back to back points to take a 2-0 lead.

The Panthers rebounded in the third set taking an early 10-5 lead. McKendree trimmed the lead to just one with a 4-0 run before rattling off a 7-2 run to take an 18-15 advantage. Drury wouldn't go away quietly as the Panthers scored the next six points to take a four point lead, but the Bearcats were able to match that run scoring the final six points of the set that included a kill and an ace from Williams to close out the match.