(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 29)—The McKendree University volleyball team will continue its five match road trip this weekend with a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division contests beginning Friday night in Evansville, IN against the University of Southern Indiana at 7 p.m. The Bearcats will follow up with a Saturday matinee in Louisville, KY against Bellarmine University at 3 p.m.
McKendree went 1-1 last weekend including 3-2 upset win over No. 25 Rockhurst University to move its overall record to 8-5 with a 3-1 showing in GLVC play.
The Bearcats lead the GLVC in kills per set (13.92), assists per set (12.98), attack percentage (.241), and rank second in the league in blocks per set (2.27).
McKendree is led offensively by junior outside hitter
Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) who leads the GLVC in kills with 175 while averaging 3.65 per set. Williams has added a team high 151 digs to go with 28 blocks. Senior right side
Allison Schneider (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh) is second on the team in kills with 143, adding 95 digs. Senior middle hitter
Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) has put down 122 kills while leading the GLVC in attack percentage at .450. Fairman also ranks second in the league in total blocks with 45. Junior right side
Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) rounds out the top scorers for the Bearcats with 92 kills and 36 blocks.
Senior setter
Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) has tabbed a team high 267 assists for McKendree to pair with 81 digs. Sophomore setter
Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) is just behind her with 246 assists. Senior setter
Rebecca Nauman (Yorkville, IL/Yorkville) has also seen the court this season and has averaged a team high 6.00 assists per set. Junior middle blocker
Carissa Lorenz (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West) has put down 53 kills and ranks sixth in the GLVC in blocks per set at 1.03. Senior libero
Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) and freshman libero
Alissa Zeitelhack (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley West) have each seen significant court time this season. Howe has posted 134 digs while Zeitelhack has notched 72 as the pair have helped hold opponents to just a .171 attack percentage this season.
ABOUT SOUTHERN INDIANA
The Eagles enter weekend play with an overall record of 6-7 including a 1-3 mark in conference play. Southern Indiana is led by freshman outside hitter Mikaila Humphrey who leads the team with 117 kills to go with 40 digs and 10 blocks. Senior middle hitter Amy Zwissler ranks second on the squad in both kills and blocks with 105 and 30 respectively. Junior outside hitter Shelbi Morris rounds out the top three attackers for the Eagles with 91 kills. Senior Quin Shoultz and sophomore Erika Peoples share the setting duties for Southern Indiana, with Shoultz tabbing 219 assists and 66 digs, while Peoples has posted 217 helpers to pair with 43 digs. Junior libero Shannon Farrell leads the Eagles from the back row with a team high 247 digs for an average of 5.26 per set, which ranks her second in the GLVC. McKendree split the regular season series with Southern Indiana a season ago before the Bearcats eliminated the Eagles in the first round of the GLVC Tournament. McKendree is 3-1 versus common opponents of Southern Indiana, while the Eagles are 1-3 in those matches.
ABOUT BELLARMINE UNIVERISTY
The Knights are off to a 10-3 start, but are just 1-3 in GLVC play. Bellarmine is paced by junior middle blocker Margaret Horihan who has a team high 158 kills. Junior outside hitter Hayden Dailey is second on the team with 126 kills to go with 137 digs and 15 blocks. Senior right side Ashley Jefferson is third on the team with 93 kills along with 32 digs and 16 blocks. Junior setter Allie Muha sits sixth in the GLVC in assist per set at 8.53 with a season total of 418. Junior middle blocker Bridget Guinane leads the Knights in blocks with 42 and Sophomore libero Jordyn Kuchenbrod has posted a team high 318 digs for an average of 6.36 per set which leads the GLVC. McKendree is 3-1 against shared opponents, while Bellarmine is 1-3 in similar matches. The Bearcats topped the Knights twice last season with a pair of 3-1 victories.
