(LEBANON, Ill., March 26)—The McKendree University men's volleyball team fell 3-1 to Ball State University Saturday evening in Muncie, IN. The Bearcats fell by scores of 25-18, 22-25, 25-20, and 25-22.

The loss moves McKendree to 9-10 overall on the season and 4-8 in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. The Bearcats return to the court Apr. 1 against the Buckeyes from Ohio State University.

McKendree was paced offensively by sophomore outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) who tallied 14 kills, three digs, and one block. Junior opposite Andrew Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove) finished second in kills with 13 and finished one dig shy of a double-double with nine. Sophomore outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) added 12 kills and seven digs for the Bearcats.

Sophomore setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) tabbed a match high 54 assists to go with five digs and one block. Sophomore middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) put down a team high four blocks to go with a team high .467 attack percentage after finishing 9-15 from the field. Junior middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) was just behind him with nine kills and a .462 attack percentage. Freshman libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) put up seven digs to help aid the Bearcats defensively.

Ball State was spotted an early 5-1 lead to start the match before extending the lead to 11-5. McKendree responded with a three point spree to pull the set to 11-8, but the Cardinals took six of the next eight points to pull away from the Bearcats and took an early 1-0 lead.

The Bearcats were clicking early in the second set after kills from Wilcox, Schmidt, and Schnittker gave McKendree an early 5-2 advantage. Ball State used a three point run to pull within one at 10-9 before taking a brief lead at 14-12, but the Bearcats countered with four in a row, including a pair of kills from Schnittker. McKendree continued to score after back to back kills from Patterson sparked another three point run. The Cardinals fought back one again by cutting the lead to 21-20, but kills down the stretch from Schmidt and Wilcox pulled the Bearcats even after two sets.

Ball State bounced back by taking a 5-1 lead in the third set and continued to push forward with a 14-7 advantage. McKendree clawed back with four in row before the teams traded 4-1 runs to move the set to 19-16 in favor of the Cardinals. Ball State pushed McKendree to the brink with a three point run to move things to 23-17, but a timeout halted the momentum and the Bearcats landed three in row to pull within 23-20. The Cardinals were able to hold on taking the final two points and take a commanding 2-1 lead in the best of five sets.

After falling behind 2-0 the Bearcats used a 5-2 run to take their first lead in set four that was capped off on back to back kills from Rueter and an ace from Schnittker. The teams traded punches until McKendree scored on three straight including a kill and an ace from Schmidt. The Cardinals stormed back with three of their own as the teams continued to jockey for the lead. Ball State capitalized on back to back errors to open a three point lead at 21-18. Mckendree rallied within one point at 21-20, but couldn't overcome the Cardinals down the stretch falling by three in the match claiming fourth set.