Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., February 27)—The McKendree University men's volleyball team fell in three-sets to the defending national champions of Loyola University-Chicago Saturday night at the Harry M Statham Sports Center in a Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association match. The Bearcats dropped the match by scores of 25-18, 28-26, and 25-20.
The win moves McKendree to 3-6 on the season and 3-5 in MIVA play. The Bearcats will embark on a ten match road trip that spans the entire month of March before returning home for their final home stand of the season starting April, 1
st versus Ohio State University.
McKendree was paced by junior opposite
Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) who was the only Bearcat to reach double figures in kills as he landed 12 of his 19 attacks for a team high .474 attack percentage. Walker added two digs and three blocks for McKendree. Sophomore outside hitter
Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) finished second in kills with eight, adding five digs and two blocks, while fellow sophomore outside hitter
Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) put down five kills to pair with five digs.
Sophomore setter
Ian Zalewski (Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg) tabbed a team high 26 assists to go with seven digs, while sophomore middle blocker
Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) put up a team high four blocks. Freshman libero
Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) added five digs from the back row to aid the Bearcats defensively.
McKendree fell in an early hole to start the match trailing 7-2 before using a 4-1 run capped off by a kill and an ace from Wilcox to pull the Bearcats within two points at 12-10. The Ramblers held steady landing five kills in six points to open up an 18-13 advantage that was too much for McKendree to overcome as they dropped the first set by seven.
The second set was a back and forth affair after the Bearcats took a 2-0 lead the teams exchanged the next 14 points before McKendree landed back to back kills from junior middle blocker
Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) and Walker to move in front 10-7. Points continued to trade hands before a three point run from Loyola put the Ramblers ahead 14-13. The teams continued to exchange blows as the set tied at consecutive points from 14-19 until Loyola was able to pull ahead by two at 21-19. McKendree clawed back and tied the match at 23 before back to back kills from Walker and Wilcox pushed the Ramblers to set point as the Bearcats took a 25-24 lead. Loyola wouldn't go away responding with four of the final five points to steal the set and go up 2-0 heading into intermission.
The Bearcats took an early lead after the break jumping out in front 5-3 after a three point spree. The Ramblers utilized three service errors from McKendree to move in front 12-10, but the Bearcats rattled off four straight points including a pair of kills from Rueter to bump ahead 14-12. Loyola countered with three kills to tie the match at 15, 16, and 17, but McKendree fired back with to take a 19-17 lead after an ace from Zalewski. Things spiraled from there as the Ramblers reeled off seven straight to take a commanding lead and seal the set and the match 3-0.
