(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 11) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team dropped its first road contest of the season, falling to Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association foe Lewis University. The Bearcats fell by scores of 25-17, 19-25, 18-25, and 16-25.

The loss moves McKendree to 1-3 overall on the season and 1-2 in MIVA play. The Bearcats return to action Saturday in Chicago, IL when they take on the two time defending national champions of Loyola University-Chicago.

McKendree was paced by junior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) who put down a team high 14 kills along with eight digs and a block. Sophomore outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) posted .375 attack percentage, finishing second in kills going 13 of 24 from the field. Sophomore outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) was the only other Bearcat to reach double digits in kills, landing ten, to go with four digs.

Sophomore middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) led the team in attack percentage landing seven of nine attack to post a .667 attack percentage. Schmidt also tallied five blocks including two solos. Sophomore setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) handed out 41 assists while adding seven digs and a block. Freshman setter Zack Thompson tabbed a match high 11 digs to aid the Bearcats defensively.

McKendree started strong landing three straight kills to open up a 4-2 lead early in the first set. Lewis responded with a pair of kills to tie the match at 6-6 before committing three straight errors to hand back the lead. After trading kills the Bearcats opened up five point advantage taking three straight points including back to back kills from Walker. McKendree kept its foot on the gas rattling off four straight points after a pair of kills from the Flyers to move the lead to seven. Lewis could not find an answer for the Bearcats offense and McKendree took the first set by eight points.

The Flyers started hot in set number two taking an 8-3 with on six kills. The Bearcats clawed back with a pair of kills from Walker and a Lewis attack error to pull within two. The Flyers responded with a three point spree, but McKendree stormed back taking six of the next eight points capped off by back to back kills from Schmidt to pull within one at 13-12. The teams exchanged points as the Bearcats found themselves within striking distance at 20-18 late in the second set, but the well ran dry down the stretch as the Flyers took five of the final six points to even the match at one.

The third set was a back and forth affair in the early going as the teams traded kills and found themselves tied at six. Lewis reeled off a quick run to move ahead 10-7, forcing a timeout from the Bearcats. The Flyers stayed hot landing five kills over the next six points to open up an 18-11 lead, and cruised to a seven point win in set three.

Once again the teams battled early in the fourth set with Lewis earning a 6-5 lead, before tallying four straight points to extend their lead to five. McKendree hung around through the middle stages of the set cutting into the lead with a pair of kills from Rueter, but the Flyers went on a 6-0 run to extend their lead to ten and clinched the final set by nine.