MIVA STANDINGS
MCK SEASON STATS
OSU SEASON STATS
LIVE STATS
VIDEO
(LEBANON, Ill., March 31) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team returns home for their final home stand of the season starting this weekend with a pair of Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association matches versus the No. 2 ranked Buckeyes from Ohio State University. The teams square off Friday night at 7 p.m. in the Harry M. Statham Sports Center before reacquainting Saturday evening for another 7 p.m. start.
Ohio State, a perennial Big Ten power, has competed in the MIVA since 1961 totaling 24 regular season conference titles, 14 tournament MIVA tournament championships, and one national title in 2011. Current head coach Pete Hanson, who is in the midst of his 32 year at the helm for the Buckeyes is responsible for 15 regular season crowns and 10 conference tournament championships and the lone national championship. Hanson boasts an overall record of 562-297.
McKendree is 9-10 overall this season with a 4-8 record in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association.
The Bearcats are paced by sophomore outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) who has put down a team high 204 kills to go with 92 digs and 28 blocks. Junior middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) is second on the team in kills and blocks with 160 and 63 respectively and currently ranks fifth in the nation with a .429 attack percentage. Sophomore outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) comes in at third in total kills with 158 adding 99 digs and 32 blocks. Junior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) averages a team high 3.08 kills per set after connecting on 151 thus far.
Sophomore setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) has handed out a team high 439 assists to go with 73 digs and 32 blocks. Fellow sophomore setter Ian Zalewski (Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg) has tallied 370 helpers at a rate of 9.74 per set which currently ranks fourth in MIVA play. Sophomore middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) has put down 135 kills to pair with a team high 85 blocks. Schmidt leads the MIVA with an average of 1.27 blocks per set that currently ranks sixth nationally. Freshman libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) continues to be a staple in the back row for McKendree currently ranking third in the MIVA in digs per set at 2.25 after tabbing 152 on the season.
ABOUT OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
The Buckeyes enter the weekend ranked second in the nation and have rode a 12 match win streak to improve their overall record to 20-3. Ohio State sits atop the MIVA standings with an 11-1 record in conference play with four matches remaining. The Buckeyes are led offensively by sophomore outside hitter Nicolas Szerszen who ranks second in the MIVA in both kills and kills per set with 348 and 4.30 to go with 131 digs and 39 blocks. Junior outside hitter Miles Johnson is second on the team with 264 kills averaging 3.43 per set to pair with 107 digs. Senior outside hitter Christian Franceschi is third in total kills with 132 while freshman middle blocker Blake Leeson comes in just behind him with 130 kills adding a team high 56 blocks.
Junior setter Christy Blough has a team high 838 assists averaging 11.03 per set which places him second in the MIVA this season. Junior libero Gabriel Domecus has totaled 178 digs for an average of 2.20 per set. The Buckeyes are 2-0 all-time versus McKendree after sweeping a pair of 3-1 decisions a season ago. Ohio State is 12-1 against common opponents of the Bearcats this season, while McKendree is 5-8 in those matches.
