Box Score (LEBANON, Ill., March 4)—The McKendree University volleyball team recorded one of the biggest wins in school history as the Bearcats topped the Princeton Tigers in three sets Friday night in Princeton, NJ in a non-conference matchup. McKendree won by scores of 25-22, 25-20, and 25-21.

The win moves the Bearcats to 4-6 overall as McKendree holds steady at 3-5 in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association.

This marked the first match in McKendree University's 188 year history with an Ivy League institution. McKendree is in the midst of its fourth season of NCAA Division II membership after making the transition prior to the 2012-2013 season. The historic match also marks a pivotal point for the men's volleyball program that is in the middle of just its third season. With schools including Princeton, Ohio State University, Ball State University, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, and Loyola University-Chicago on the schedule, the foundation of strong athletic and academic adversaries are a building block for Bearcats.

The win was far more than just an athletic achievement to head coach Nickie Sanlin who has pioneered the men's volleyball program since its inception. "It was a privilege to play such a historic program," said Sanlin. "We were shown first-class hospitality from everyone involved, and it was truly an honor to compete against one of the finest schools in the country. We could feel an aura when we arrived to campus and got to see firsthand the rich heritage this university possesses."

Sanlin was happy to come away victorious against such a high character program and was very impressed by the Tigers' head coach, Sam Shwiesky. "Sam has done such a great job with his team," said Sanlin. They are very well coached and fundamentally sound; it really shows on the court. He really has excelled with balancing the rigors of their academic schedule and grooming young men through coaching. It truly is education through athletics."

As the two programs competed, Sanlin relished the opportunities that come from such a prestigious match. "This was our first taste of EIVA (Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) game action," said Sanlin. "I am very thankful to Sam for giving us this tremendous opportunity and look forward to competing with them again in the future."

Sophomore middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) led the Bearcats from the field with a team-high 10 kills on 18 attempts for a match-high .389 attack percentage. Schmidt added a team-high five blocks to help hold the Tigers to just a .124 team-attack percentage. Sophomore outside hitters Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) and Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) each tallied eight kills for McKendree with Rueter adding nine digs and two blocks and Wilcox tabbing one dig and two blocks.

Sophomore setter Ian Zalewski (Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg) had a match-high 33 assists to go with two digs and two blocks. Junior middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) went 6-13 from the field along with four digs and four blocks. Junior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) contributed four kills and four digs and freshman libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) put up nine digs from the back row for Bearcats.

McKendree took an early 4-2 lead with a pair of kills from Schmidt, before a three-point run from Princeton gave the Tigers their first lead of the night at 5-4. The teams traded points back and forth until the Bearcats found themselves with a 14-12 lead midway through set one. Princeton broke through with a four point run to claim a two point advantage, but McKendree went on to take three of the next four points capped off on a kill from Wilcox to tie the match at 17. The Tigers grinded out a 5-2 run to take a 22-19 lead, but the Bearcats rattled off the final six points to earn a set one win.

McKendree started fast in the second set opening a 4-1 lead after kills from Wilcox and Rueter and an ace from Patterson. The Tigers worked back to tie the set at 8-8 before allowing a three point spree to the Bearcats. McKendree extended their lead to 16-12 after a pair of kills from Wilcox and Patterson, but Princeton countered with three straight points to pull within a single point. Rueter connected on back to back kills to push the lead back to three and the Tigers could not overcome the deficit down the stretch as the Bearcats took set two by five points.

McKendree broke through with a four point run early in set two to go up 10-6 before capitalizing on four Princeton errors and a kill from Schmidt to extend the lead to 17-11. The Tigers were able to take six of nine points from the Bearcats late in the set to pull within three, but a kill from Schmidt sealed the set and the match to give McKendree the win.

The Bearcats are back in action Saturday night at 7 p.m. EST in Newark, NJ against New Jersey Institute of Technology before wrapping up the weekend Sunday at 5 p.m. EST in Fairfield, CT with Sacred Heart University.