(Lebanon, Ill., Sept. 3) - The McKendree University women's volleyball team continued action in the Lady Buff Classic hosted by West Texas A&M University in Canyon, TX. The Bearcats dropped a 3-1 decision in their first match of the day to Northern Michigan University followed by a 3-1 loss to the host school Buffalos. McKendree fell by scores of 25-22, 22-25, 25-23, and 25-22 in game one before slipping 25-16, 25-23, 20-25, and 25-17 in the night cap.
 
The losses dip the Bearcats to 1-3 on the season. McKendree returns to action Sept. 9 against Bridgeport in the opening match of the Palm Beach Atlantic Tournament.

The Bearcats were led offensively in the first match by senior outside hitter Allison Schneider (St. Louis, MO/Lindbergh) who notched a double-double with a match high 15 kills and 12 digs. Junior middle blocker Carissa Lorenz (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West) finished second on the squad in kills after going 8-15 from the field, recording a .400 attack percentage, adding five blocks. Junior right side Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) also tallied eight kills to go with two digs and two blocks.

Senior setter Aubry Dickmann (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) had a team high 19 assists to pair with six digs. Fellow senior setter Rebecca Nauman (Yorkville, IL/Yorkville) also dished 16 assists for McKendree. Senior middle blocker Sophie Fairman (Staunton, IL/Staunton) put down six kills while recording a match high seven blocks. Senior libero Breanna Howe (Mt. Pulaski, IL/Mt. Pulaski) added a team high 13 blocks to aid the Bearcats defensively.

McKendree opened the match with an early 5-3 lead after Fairman connected on back to back kills. The Wildcats responded with three straight points to take their first lead of the day. Junior outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) stemmed the tide with a kill and an ace to spark a three point run for the Bearcats as McKendree moved in front 8-6. Northern Michigan pulled within one at 10-9 before the Bearcats used a trio of kills from Geiger to take five of the next six points to go up 15-10. The Wildcats clawed back with a 9-3 run to move in front 19-18. After exchanging a handful of points Northern Michigan reeled off four straight to go up 24-21 and held on to take set one by three.

McKendree utilized kills from Lorenz and Geiger to open a 4-0 advantage before jumping ahead 9-3. The Bearcats kept the Wildcats at an arm's length, holding the lead steady at 13-8 before Northern Michigan rallied with three straight kills to start a four point run and pulling within a point. The teams continued to jockey for the lead as they traded points before the Wildcats were able to score back to back points to claim their first lead at 17-16. McKendree roared back taking seven of the next nine points to reclaim the lead at 23-19 before squaring the match at 1-1.

The Bearcats stayed hot in the third set bursting out in front 8-2 with kills from Schneider and Geiger. Northern Michigan cut into the lead at 13-8, but McKendree responded with kills from Schneider and Williams along with a pair of aces to go up 18-9. The Wildcats countered with seven straight to cut the lead to two, before using a 7-1 run to go up 24-22 and were able to escape set three with a two point win.

Northern Michigan continued that momentum in the fourth set by taking an early 9-4 lead. The teams traded the next nine points before the Bearcats strung together a 5-1 run to tie the set at 16. The Wildcats wouldn't relinquish the lead for long as they opened a three point advantage at 21-18 and were able to withstand a three point run from McKendree and hold on two claim the match 3-1.

Schneider led the way for the Bearcats again in game two posting a double-double with a match high 19 kills to pair with 12 digs. Williams and Fairman also reached double figures in kills with 13 and 10 respectively Williams added nine digs, while Fairman posted a team high four blocks.
Dickmann paced the Bearcats from the setting position with 24 assists to go with three digs. Sophomore setter Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) added 22 assists of her own adding five digs.

West Texas A&M used four runs of three or more points in the opening set of game number two to cruise to a nine point win and took a 1-0 lead.
McKendree used a pair of kills from Schneider to take an early 3-1 advantage in the second set before the Bearcats surrendered the lead after the Buffalos posted a four straight points to go ahead 5-3. The lead was short lived as Fairman connected on a pair of attacks to start a 4-0 run to push McKendree back in front. The teams battled back and forth finding themselves tied at 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 until West Texas A&M was able to land back to back points and close out set two.

The Bearcats used a 7-1 run in the third set to open an 11-4 lead. The Buffalos hung tough as they worked back within a pair at 13-11. Geiger and Schneider each landed kills as McKendree pushed the lead back to six at 18-12 as they held off West Texas A&M and cut the gap to 2-1.

Fairman and Schneider each tallied two kills for the Bearcats early in the fourth set as McKendree took an early 6-4 lead. The teams played evenly through the middle stages of the set as the set was tied seven times as the teams stayed knotted at 13-13. The Buffalos then went on a 5-0 run before taking eight of the next nine points to open a seven point lead as they closed McKendree out in the fourth set.

Junior outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) was named to the Lady Buff Classic All-Tournament Team after recording 47 kills for an average of 3.13 per set. Williams added 35 digs, eight blocks, and four aces for McKendree.