MIVA HUBBOX SCORE(LEBANON, Ill., April 8) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team clinched a bid to their first post-season tournament in program history Friday night inside the Harry M. Statham Sports Center with a 3-0 sweep over Quincy University. The Bearcats took the match by scores of 25-23, 25-20, and 25-20.
The win improves McKendree to 10-13 overall and 5-11 in the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. The Bearcats win vaults them one spot ahead of the Hawks to move into sole possession of sixth place in conference play. The MIVA tournament will get underway one week from tonight with the quarterfinal round taking place Apr. 15-17.
Head coach
Nickie Sanlin was delighted with the team's accomplishment "This has been our goal since day one," said Sanlin. "We are excited to see what we can do in the post season, the men have bought in and put in the time to lay bricks of success to the foundation each year. I couldn't be more proud of their progress and I am excited for what the future holds for our program."
McKendree was paced offensively by junior opposite
Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) who tallied a team high eight kills to go with two digs and three blocks. Sophomore outside hitter
Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) finished second in kills for the Bearcats with seven adding a match high seven digs. Junior middle blocker
Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) went 5-8 from the field for a match high .625 attack percentage while putting down a match high seven blocks, including four solos.
Sophomore setter
Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) tabbed a team high 24 assists adding one kill, four digs, and two blocks. Sophomore outside hitter
Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) put down four kills to go with three digs and a block. Freshman libero
Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) put up four digs to help McKendree hold Quincy to a .215 team attack percentage.
Rueter and Patterson got the Bearcats on the board followed by a three point run to give the Bearcats an early 5-4 lead. The Hawks used a 5-1 run to open a three point lead, but McKendree countered with four straight including a pair of kills from Walker to reclaim the lead at 15-14. Once again Quincy rallied to take an 18-17 lead, holding steady in the later stages of the match at 23-22. A service error tied things at 23 before an ace from freshman outside hitter
Will Frank (Moro, IL/Edwardsville) swung the lead in favor of the Bearcats. Walker followed with a kill capping a three point run to steal the first set from the Hawks.
Quincy took an early lead in the second set on back to back kills to go up by a score of 6-4. The Bearcats used a 5-2 run to earn a 9-8 advantage after a kill from Patterson and a block from Fiduccia. The Hawks bounced back taking three of four points to go out in front by one, but a 3-0 run including back to back kills from Patterson pushed McKendree ahead 14-12. Leading 21-18 late in the set the Bearcats used a 3-1 run on kills from Wilcox and Patterson to put Quincy away in the second set and open a 2-0 lead.
A kill from Rueter and blocks from Patterson and Walker sparked a four point run to give McKendree a 7-2 edge to start the third set. The Hawks hung tough using four kills to cut the lead to 12-11 in the middle stages of the set. Back to back kills from Fiduccia and Wilcox started a 3-0 run for the Bearcats that turned into a 6-2 swing topped off on another ace from Frank to give McKendree a commanding 18-13 lead. Quincy could not cut the deficit to less than three down the stretch as the Bearcats coasted to five point win to earn the sweep.
