(Lebanon, Ill., Jan. 28) --The McKendree University men's volleyball team notched its fourth straight win Saturday evening in Philippi, WV in a non-conference clash with Alderson Broaddus University. The Bearcats won by scores of 25-19, 25-20, 23-25, and 25-13.

The win moves McKendree to 5-6 overall. The Bearcats will return to action Feb. 3 when they return to league play against Indiana University Purdue University-Fort Wayne.

Junior outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) paced McKendree with 14 kills, three aces, and five digs. Senior opposite Andrew Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove) put down 13 kills hitting at a .423 clip along with six digs and two blocks. Senior outside hitter Dustin Borenstein (Highland Park, IL/Highland Park) added seven kills, while senior middle blocker Michael Polizzi (St. Louis, MO/DeSmet Jesuit) cashed in six time along with a match high five blocks. Junior setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) tallied 44 assists to go with 10 digs and three blocks, while sophomore libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) put up 17 digs from the back row as the Bearcats held Alderson Broaddus to a .174 team hitting percentage.

Freshman middle blocker Lucas Galifos (Mokena,IL/Lincoln Way East) and junior outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) recorded back to back kills to give McKendree an 8-6 lead in the opening set. The Battlers matched the feat with two kills of their own before allowing a 4-0 run which led to six of the next seven points going to McKendree to give the Bearcats a 17-9 lead. Rueter, Schnittker, and Galifos each tagged another kills to move the lead to 22-14 as McKendree strolled to a six point win in the first set.

Wilcox tallied a trio of kills and Schnittker added two of his own as the Bearcats found themselves tied at seven to start the second set. A kill from Borenstein and a block from Galifos sparked a 3-0 run to move McKendree ahead 13-10. The Battlers pulled within one at 15-14, but the Bearcats used a pair of kills from Borenstein as part of a 7-1 run to take a commanding 22-15 before closing out the set with another kill from Borenstein and a kill from Schnittker.

Alderson Broaddus captured the third set to pull within striking distance heading into the fourth. Schnittker and Wilcox each put down a pair of kills early in the fourth frame to give the Bearcats an 8-6 advantage. The second kill from Wilcox jump started a 9-1 run to move McKendree ahead 16-7. Schnittker and Polizzi each connected on attacks before a 4-0 spree from the Bearcats put a vice on the set at 22-11 capped off on back to back blocks from Polizzi as the Bearcats rolled to a 12-point win in what proved to be the final set.