(Lebanon, Ill., Jan. 4) --The McKendree University men's volleyball team opened its 2017 campaign Thursday night in Malibu, CA against No. 5 Pepperdine University. The Bearcats fell by scores of 25-23, 25-18, 14-25, 21-25, and 11-15.

The loss moves the Bearcats to 0-1 on the season. McKendree returns to action this weekend in the first of three matches starting at 10 a.m PST against the University of California Santa Barbra in Santa Barbra, CA.

McKendree was paced offensively by senior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) who put down a match high 21 kills to go with six digs and two blocks. Senior middle hitter Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) hit .571 with 13 kills on 21 attempts adding three blocks. Junior outside hitters Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) and Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) each tagged nine kills with Rueter posting six digs and three blocks, while Wilcox paired four digs.

Junior setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) handed out a career high 49 assists to go with seven digs. Senior middle blocker Michael Polizzi (St. Louis, MO/DeSmet Jesuit) put down a team high four blocks and sophomore libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) stuck a match high 15 digs to aid the Bearcats defensive efforts.

Wilcox got things started for McKendree, putting down the first three kills of the season to give the Bearcats an early 4-2 lead in the first set. The teams traded points before a pair of kills from Rueter moved the score to 9-7 in favor of McKendree. Rueter followed with a service ace to put the Bearcats in front 11-9 before Pepperdine reeled off a 6-2 run to move ahead 15-13. McKendree tied the set at 15 all before trading kills with the Bearcats scoring on an attack from Walker followed by a pair of kills from Patterson as the set remained tied at 18. The Waves moved ahead with a 4-0 run to push McKendree on the ropes 22-18, but the Bearcats rattled off six of the final seven points to steal the first set capped off on kills from Walker and Wilcox.

Walker and Patterson each put down kills along with a block from Polizzi to give McKendree a 6-3 to start the second set. Walker added two more along with a kill each from Rueter and Polizzi to move the margin to five at 11-6. Pepperdine trimmed the lead to two points at 12-10 before Rueter and Wilcox sparked a 3-0 run with back to back kills to regain control at 15-10. Polizzi, Reuter, and Patterson continued to score as the Bearcats moved in front 21-15 before McKendree closed out the set with a 4-1 run to take a commanding 2-0 lead.

The Waves rallied in the third set marching to an 11 point win to pull within one set before opening the fourth set with a 7-3 lead. Pepperdine capitalized on three errors from the Bearcats to extend the lead to 12-6 before McKendree could counter with a 4-0 run that included a pair of kills from Walker. The Waves regained their footing with a 5-2 run to take a 17-12 lead, but Walker and Patterson connected with back to back kills to spark a 4-1 run and pull within three points at 18-15. The teams exchanged 3-0 runs before Pepperdine was able to add three more points to force set point at 24-19. Polizzi and Patterson each scored kills, but the Bearcats couldn't overcome the deficit as the Waves forced a fifth set.

Pepperdine continued to strike as they opened the final set 5-2 before continuing to score at 10-6. Walker put down a kill followed by a block from Patterson to pull McKendree within a pair at 12-10, but the Waves took home three of the next four points to complete the comeback over the Bearcats and handed McKendree its first loss of the season.