Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., March 18)—The McKendree University men's volleyball team extended their winning streak to three games as they topped Barton College in five sets. The teams met at a neutral site in a non-conference match Friday afternoon. The Bearcats won by scores of 25-18, 18-25, 22-25, 25-19 and 15-12.  

The win improves McKendree to 9-8 overall on the season as the Bearcats are now above the .500 mark for the first time this season. McKendree returns to the court next weekend with a pair of Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association matches starting Friday against Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.

The Bearcats had four players reach double figures in the match as McKendree was led by junior middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) who notched a game high 19 kills on just 26 attacks for a .731 attack percentage. Patterson also posted a match high six blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) tallied a double-double, finishing with 14 kills and 12 digs to go with four blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) and junior outside hitter Andrew Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove) each put down ten kills with Rueter adding five kills and five blocks and Schnittker tabbing seven digs and two blocks.

Sophomore setter Ian Zalewski (Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg) totaled 42 assists to go with eight digs and fellow sophomore setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) added 17 helpers and three digs. Sophomore middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) went 9-12 from the field for a match high .750 attack percentage adding three blocks. Junior libero Brice Miller (O'Fallon, IL/Althoff Catholic) put up six digs from the back row to aid McKendree defensively.

The Bearcats opened set one with a 7-5 lead thanks to a tri of kills from Wilcox and a pair of kills from Patterson. McKendree extended that lead to 19-13 after two separate three point runs. The Bulldogs cut the lead to four, but the Bearcats closed out the set on a 4-1 run to take a 1-0 lead.

Barton bounced back to take an early 7-3 lead in the second set followed by a 5-1 run to push its lead to 12-5. The Bearcats worked back with an 8-2 run to cut the Bulldog lead to just two points before 5-1 run from Barton pushed the Bulldogs back in front by five as Barton cruised to a seven point win in set two.

The Bulldogs captured the lead after a three point win in set three to put McKendree on the ropes. Things looked bleak to start the fourth as Barton jumped ahead once again 7-3. The Bearcats rallied back with four straight points to tie the set, including three kills from Schmidt. The run seemed to awake McKendree as the Bearcats used a 5-1 run to capture their first lead of the set before closing things out with an 8-2 run to force a fifth and final set.

Barton recomposed themselves in the fifth set taking a 3-1 lead before extending it to 7-4. Once again the Bearcats showed heart using a four point run to earn their first lead of the set at 8-7. Patterson led the way for McKendree scoring its next three points on kills, but the Bulldogs countered to tie the set at 12-12. Schmidt and Rueter each landed a kill and the Bearcats outscored Barton 3-1 down the stretch to complete the comeback bid for McKendree.