(Lebanon, Ill., Jan. 14) --The McKendree University men's volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to No. 4 Brigham Young University in Provo, UT. The Bearcats fell by scores of 25-23, 25-22, and 25-17.

McKendree moves to 1-6 overall and will return to action with its home opener Jan. 20 against Emmanuel inside the Harry M. Statham Sports Center.

Senior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) and junior outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) each put down 11 kills to lead the Bearcats. Walker added six digs while Rueter recorded three blocks. Senior middle hitter Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) went 7-10 from the field to go with a team high five blocks. Junior setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) tied for a match high with 32 assists and sophomore libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) stuck a team high seven digs from the back row for McKendree.

Walker put down a kill and an ace on back to back points to spark a 3-0 run and give the Bearcats a 5-4 to open the match. Walker and Reuter then sandwiched a kill each around a pair of kills from Patterson as part of a 4-1 run to give McKendree a 15-13 lead. The Cougars replied with a 3-1 run to tie the match at 19 before converting three straight attacks and adding a block to push ahead 23-20. Patterson and Thompson landed back to back kills to pull within one at 23-22, but BYU landed a kill to force set point at 24-22. Rueter tagged a kill to bring the Bearcats back, but the Cougars were able to pull off the win after earning the next point to take a 1-0 lead.

BYU raced ahead 11-5 to start the second set. Rueter began the comeback effort after placing a pair of kills around an ace from Patterson to pull within three, followed by a 6-2 run that brought McKendree with one at 15-14. The Cougars extended the lead back to four at 20-16, but the Bearcats continued to battle with a 5-2 run that featured a pair of kills from Rueter to cut the deficit back to one at 22-21. The Cougars countered with back to back points to force set point, and a kill from Walker was not enough to close the gap as BYU took a 2-0 lead.

Walker opened the third set with a pair of kills as McKendree embarked on the long road back with an early 3-1 lead. The Cougars bounced back with four straight to jump ahead 8-5. The Bearcats trudged back with a 5-2 run to tie the set at 10, but BYU strung together a 3-0 run to move back in front. The teams traded kills as the lead remained at three in favor of the Cougars at 18-15 before a 5-0 run gave BYU a commanding eight point lead and the Cougars held on to earn the win.