(LEBANON, Ill., April 6) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team dropped a four-set decision to Lindenwood University in a Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association contest Wednesday night inside the Harry. M Statham Sports Center. The Bearcats fell by scores of 26-24, 25-20, 19-25, and 25-18.

The loss drops McKendree to 9-13 overall on the season and 4-11 in MIVA play. The Bearcats return to action Friday Apr. 8 in the regular season finale against conference foe Quincy University with a chance at clinching their first ever bid to the MIVA tournament.

McKendree was paced offensively by junior middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) who was successful on 10 of his 14 attempts for a team high .714 attack percentage. Patterson also posted a match high three solo blocks while totaling four on the evening.
Sophomore outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) also reached double digits in kills with 10 to pair with six digs. Sophomore middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) landed eight kill and a match high five blocks.

Sophomore setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) handed out a team high 36 assists as well as two digs and one block. Sophomore outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) tallied seven kills to go with six digs and three blocks. Junior libero Brice Miller (O'Fallon, IL/Althoff Catholic) stuck eight digs from the back row to aid the Bearcats defensively.

The teams had a feeling out process in the early stages of set one playing to 8-8 as the Bearcats scored on kills from Rueter, junior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka), Schmidt, and Wilcox. McKendree was able to take the first significant lead of the match with a three point run after back to back kills from Wilcox moved the score to 11-8. The teams exchanged some sloppy play as 12 of the next 13 points in the match were scored on opposing team errors as McKendree was able to hold steady with a three point advantage at 17-14. The Lions were able to fight back and tie the match at 20, before taking the lead on an ace at 22-21.  The Bearcats rallied to tie the set at 23 and again at 24, but Lindenwood was able to hold on to steal set one.

After dropping set two to fall behind 2-0 McKendree awoke with a three point spree to take an early 6-3 lead in the third set with kills from Rueter and Patterson. Lindenwood cut the lead to just one point at 9-8, but the Bearcats countered with a four straight to open up a 17-12 edge. Once again the Lions returned fire pulling within one point at 19-18, but McKendree battled back, capturing six of the last seven points to close out set three and cut the deficit to just one.

?Lindenwood opened an early 6-3 lead in the fourth set, and was able to withstand several runs from the Bearcats who rallied to tie the match at 12-12 before the Lions opened a five point lead to take control of the set before closing out what would be the final set of the night by seven points.