Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 (Lebanon, Ill., Sept. 2) - The McKendree University volleyball kicked off the 2016 season splitting a pair of matches with a 3-0 sweep of Southwestern Oklahoma State University before dropping a 3-1 decision to Eastern New Mexico University at the Lady Buff Classic in Canyon, TX hosted by West Texas A&M University. The Bearcats matches were scored 25-16, 25-18, and 25-18 and 25-23, 19-25, 24-26, and 21-25.

McKendree moves to 1-1 on the season. The Bearcats return to action tomorrow at 11 a.m. as they face off with Northern Michigan University.

McKendree was paced offensively in the first match by junior outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) who tallied a match high 13 kills while hitting at a .538 clip. Williams added six digs and one block for the Bearcats. Junior right side Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) and senior outside hitter Allison Schneider (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh) land eight kills each while Geiger added three blocks and Schneider posted five digs and one block.

Sophomore setter Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) handed out a match high 18 assists to go with five digs, while senior setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) dished out 17 helpers to pair with three digs. Senior middle blocker Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) and senior right side Bailey Kampwerth (Breese, IL/Mater Dei) each went landed five of nine attacks for McKendree for a .556 attack percentage. Senior libero Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) compiled a match high 15 digs from the back row to go with three assists, while junior middle blocker Carissa Lorenz (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West) tabbed a match high four blocks.

The Bearcats looked in mid-season form from the onset taking an early 4-1 lead in the first set with a kill from Geiger and a pair of blocks. The Bulldogs bounced back with a pair of points before conceding three straight points including a kill from Fairman and an ace from Melchert. McKendree extended the lead to 11-6 with a pair of kills from Kampwerth before another three-point spree gave the Bearcats a commanding 16-9 advantage as McKendree cruised to a nine-point win in set one.

It was more of the same in the second set as a three point run with kills from Geiger and Fairman gave the Bearcats their first lead of the set at 4-3. Southwestern Oklahoma tied the set at four, but three straight kills from Schneider, Williams, and Fairman put McKendree ahead for good in the second set. The Bulldogs hung tough pulling within three points in the middle of set two, but the Bearcats second straight three-point kill spree gave McKendree a six-point advantage and the Bearcats pushed Southwest Oklahoma to the brink at 2-0.

McKendree kept their foot on the gas in what would be the final set of the match reeling off seven straight points to gain a comfortable 8-2 lead with kills from Geiger, Kampwerth, Williams, and Fairman. The Bulldogs were unable to dig themselves out of the early hole as the Bearcats earned the 3-0 sweep.

 
In the second match Williams was once again the top scorer for Bearcats with 14 kills to go with 13 digs. Lorenz was second on the team with 12 kills adding a match high five blocks. Geiger and Fairman each added nine kills with Schneider rounding out the top scorers with eight kills and 11 digs.

Dickmann handed a team high 28 assists to pair with seven digs. While Howe once again paced the team from the back row with 16 digs.

The Bearcats used a pair of kills from Geiger to tie the opening set at six after falling in an early 4-2 hole. The Greyhounds snagged another two point lead at 8-6 before McKendree rattled off six straight points on five kills, including a pair from Lorenz. Eastern New Mexico responded with a four point run of their own to pull within one at 13-12, but the Bearcats followed suit with a four straight kills, three coming off attacks from Fairman. The teams exchanged points in the later stages of the set with McKendree taking three of four points to grasp a 24-20 lead. The Greyhounds battled back at 24-23, but the Bearcats held on with a kill from Williams to close the first set.

Eastern New Mexico strung together three runs of three or more points in the second set and pulled away down the stretch to even the match at 1-1.

The third set was a tug of war as each team fought to hold the lead. The Bearcats took the first two points of the set before falling behind 5-3. Back to back kills from Schneider and Lorenz knotted things at seven before the teams exchanged points staying even at 10-10. The Greyhounds jumped ahead with six straight points forcing McKendree to regroup. The Bearcats used a timeout and were able to strike back with four straight with kills from Fairman and Kampwerth as well as an ace from Melchert. Four consecutive kills from Eastern New Mexico forced another timeout from McKendree as the Greyhound opened a 20-14 lead. The Bearcats responded taking six of the next seven points to pull within a point at 21-20. After dropping a pair of points McKendree rallied to tie the set at 24 with a 5-1 run. The Bearcats couldn't overcome the early hole however and dropped the final two points of the set to fall behind 2-1.

The fourth set looked promising for McKendree as they used an early five point run off of a pair of kills from Fairman to go up 6-2. Eastern New Mexico countered with a 6-2 run to things at 10. The Greyhounds would lunge ahead with a 5-1 spurt to take a three point lead. The Bearcats pushed back with three straight points, but found themselves on the wrong end of a 5-0 run as Eastern New Mexico took a 21-16 lead. McKenndree continued to work, but couldn't close the gap, falling in the final set by four.