(LEBANON, Ill., February 19)—The McKendree University volleyball team notched its second straight five-set victory Friday night on the road at Quincy University in a Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association match. The Bearcats took the match by scores of 25-24, 25-20, 16-25, 26-28, and 15-13.

The win moves McKendree to 3-4 on the season and 3-3 in MIVA play.

Sophomore outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) paced the Bearcats with 19 kills adding three digs. Junior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) put down 15 kills and nine digs joined by sophomore outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) who landed 13 of 23 attempts while sticking six digs. Sophomore middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) posted a team high .500 attack percentage on his way to a 10 kill nine block performance.

Sophomore setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) had a match high 50 assists adding seven digs and five blocks and two kills. Junior middle blocker Wyatt Paterson tallied six kills and freshman libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) put up 11 digs for the Bearcats.

McKendree came out firing in the first set taking the first five points of the match with a pair of kills from both Wilcox and Schmidt along with an ace from Fidduccia. The Bearcats continued to roll as they extended their lead to 11-3 after Rueter and Patterson each landed on a pair of kills. Quincy could not find an answer as they later handed over four of five points on errors as McKendree took set one.

The second set was more of the same for the Bearcats as they utilized a 6-1 run to take an early 13-7 lead over the Hawks that included two kills from Wilcox and a kill apiece from Walker and Schmidt. Quincy responded using a similar run capped off by back to back aces that forced a McKendree timeout and pulled the Hawks within two points at 17-15. Quincy continued to press the action cutting the lead to single point, but a kill from Walker followed by four straight attack errors caused the set to fall out of reach and put the Bearcats in front with a 2-0 lead.

After dropping the third set things got interesting in the fourth as the Hawks flew out in front 14-7, showing they wouldn't go away without a fight. The Bearcats responded taking three of four points to cut the lead to five and start what looked to be valiant comeback. After dropping a point McKendree used a 6-2 run to pull within two that included kills from Rueter, Wilcox, and Patterson. The Hawks stifled the run with a kill, but the Bearcats continued to plow ahead as they took their first lead of the set at 21-20 following a 5-1 run. Quincy briefly regained the lead on a three point spree, but McKendree answered with back to back points including an ace from Schmidt. The teams traded the next six points back and forth as Rueter connected on a pair of kills and Wilcox answered with one of his own, but the Hawks were able to hold off the comeback and extend the match taking the final two points of the set.

The Bearcats offense continued to click in the decisive fifth set, as Wilcox and Schmidt put down back to back kills to take an early lead. The team played tight throughout the set as neither team was able to take more than a single point advantage until the last point of the match. McKendree found themselves on the ropes trailing 13-12 in the first to 15 contest. After a service error that squared the match Wilcox blasted home back to back kills to close out the win.

The Bearcats return to action Friday when they take on Lewis University at 7 p.m. at the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. The match will be themed Camo Night and is a Bearcat Cup event.