(Lebanon, Ill., Jan. 27) --The McKendree University men's volleyball team sUnivewept passed the University of Charleston Friday evening in a non-conference showdown in Charleston, WV. The Bearcats won by scores of 25-19, 25-16, and 25-17.

The win improves McKendree to 4-6 overall and the Bearcats return to action tomorrow at 7 p.m. EST against Alderson Broaddus University.

McKendree was paced by senior middle hitter Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) who put down nine kills and hit .800, adding three digs and two blocks. Senior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) and junior outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) each tallied nine kills with Walker three digs and two blocks, while Wilcox five digs, one block, and one ace.

Junior setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) dished out a match high 33 assists to pair with four digs. Junior outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) added four kills and six digs to go with five aces and senior middle blocker Michael Polizzi (St. Louis, MO/DeSmet Jesuit) connected on four kills along with a match high five blocks. Sophomore libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) stuck nine digs from the back row as McKendree held the Eagles to just a .062 team hitting percentage.

Rueter used back to back aces to open the set for the Bearcats as Mckendree pushed ahead 3-1. Patterson and Wilcox followed with consecutive kills before another ace from Rueter moved the Bearcats in front 8-4. Charleston rallied to tie the set at 10 with a 6-2 scoring spree, but an 8-2 reply from McKendree including a 5-0 run pushed the Bearcats ahead 18-12. The Eagles pulled within three at 22-19, but McKendree closed the set with the final three points that included a kill each from Patterson and Wilcox.

Walker opened set two with a trio of kill as the Bearcats took a 4-2 lead. Charleston fought back to take an 11-9 advantage before surrendering a 7-2 run that featured three straight kills from Patterson, Fiduccia, and Wilcox. McKendree followed up with a 7-0 run thanks in part to three kills from Walker to take a commanding 23-14 lead and strolled to take set two by nine.

The third set was all Bearcats as Patterson opened with three straight kills followed by another ace from Rueter to go in front 4-1. Wilcox then sandwiched a pair of kills around a Rueter kill to give McKendree a 7-3 lead before the teams traded points on the way to 10-6. Polizzi, Walker, and Rueter each tagged a kill to move the margin to five at 15-10, before a 3-0 run put McKendree on the brink at 20-13. Polizzi and Wilcox each added another kill before Rueter finished off the match with his final ace of the night.