(LEBANON, Ill., March 6)—The McKendree University men's volleyball fell in four sets to Sacred Heart University Sunday evening in Fairfield, CT. The Bearcats fell by scores of 17-25, 25-22, 21-25, and 17-25.

The loss drops the Bearcats overall record to 5-7. McKendree returns to action Mar. 11 in Phoenix, AZ against conference foe Grand Canyon University.

Junior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) paced the Bearcats with 15 kills, six digs, and three blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) finished second on the team with eight kills to go with two digs and one block. Junior middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) landed seven of his 13 attempts from the field for a team high .385 attack percentage adding one dig and tied for a match high with eight blocks.

Sophomore setter Ian Zalewski (Orland Park, IL/Carl Sandburg) tallied a team high 37 assists along with two digs and three blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) paired seven kills with six digs and freshman libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) stuck a match high 13 digs from the back line to aid the McKendree defensively.

After dropping set one the Bearcats were clicking early in the second set as kills from Patterson and Wilcox and an ace from Zalewski put McKendree up 5-2. Sacred Heart rallied to tie the match at 6-6, but the Bearcats with five of the next six points for a comfortable 11-7 lead. The Pioneers rallied again to pull within one point at 17-16, but McKendree was able to push the lead back to three at 22-19 after back to back kills from Zalewksi and Patterson. Sacred Heart countered with three kills in the next four points, but the Bearcats held on with by taking the final two points of the set capped off with an ace from sophomore middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West).

The Pioneers stormed out to a 14-5 lead to start the third set. McKendree faced an uphill battle to close the gap and showed their resilience with a five point run that ended with three straight blocks from Wilcox, Patterson, and Zalewski. The Bearcats continued to claw back taking six of nine points, which included three kills from Walker, to pull with three points at 24-21 late in the set. Sacred Heart was able to connect on one final kill to stymie the valiant comeback attempt and put McKendree on the ropes with a 2-1 lead.

The Bearcats came out firing again in the fourth taking a 6-2 lead on kills from Patterson, Wilcox, and Rueter. The Pioneers ralled and were able to work back with a four point run to tie the set at six. Sacred Heart continued to roll after taking their first lead at 12-11 by extending their lead to 21-15 with a five point run. The deficit proved too much for McKendree as the Pioneers clinched the match in the fourth set.