(LEBANON, Ill., April 2) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team dropped a four-set decision to Ohio State University in a Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association contest Saturday evening inside the Harry. M Statham Sports Center. The Bearcats fell by scores of 25-19, 21-25, 25-18, and 25-20.

The loss moves McKendree to 9-12 overall and 4-10 in MIVA play. The Bearcats are back in action Wednesday at 7 p.m. against MIVA foe Lindenwood University.  

Junior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) came off the bench to lead the Bearcats with 14 kills to go with four digs and one block. Sophomore outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) finished second in kills with 10 adding six digs and two blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) rounded out the top three scorers for McKendree with nine kills to pair with six digs.

Sophomore middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) went 6-8 from the field for.625 attack percentage. Junior middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) hit at a match high .700 clip going 7-10 from the floor. Sophomore setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) tallied a team high 43 assists to go with a team high seven digs. Freshman libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) added six digs and two assists.

Wilcox got things going for McKendree after connecting on the first kill of the match giving the Bearcats the opening lead. The teams felt each other out early trading points before Ohio State tallied a pair of points to take a 5-3 advantage. McKendree pulled within one point at 8-7 and again at 11-10 but could not solve the Buckeyes as Ohio State opened up 20-14 edge and held on to a six point win in set one.

It was a back and forth affair in the second set as the teams traded kills through the first four points of the set with the Bearcats coming from Walker and Rueter. After a service error McKendree continued to hold the lead until an Ohio State killed tied the match at 10-10. The Buckeyes continued to battle through after swiping the lead as they extended it to 17-13. The Bearcats rallied taking five of the next six points that included a kill and an ace from Wilcox to tie the set at 18. After a timeout from Ohio State, the Buckeyes were able to take a brief lead at 20-19. McKendree capitalized on a service error and a kill from Walker to land three straight points and take a two point advantage. A kill from Ohio State pulled the Buckeyes within one, but Walker connected on three straight kills to close the set and even the match for McKendree.

After falling by seven in set three the Bearcats used a three point streak to pull ahead 4-3 in the fourth set. After a block from Ohio State the Bearcats continued to roll taking another three point spree with kills from Walker and Rueter to take a 7-4 lead. The Buckeyes countered with a five point run of their own to go up 13-10 before pushing ahead at 19-14. The Bearcats rallied back with three straight to pull within two points, but could not find a way to pull ahead as Ohio State closed the match out with a five point win in the fourth set.