(Lebanon, Ill., Jan. 6) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to No. 12 University of California Santa Barbara Friday morning in Santa Barbara, CA. The Bearcats fell by scores of 21-25, 25-19, 25-21, and 25-13.

The loss moves McKendree to 0-2 on the season. The Bearcats return to the action later today against Long Beach State University at 7 p.m. PST.

Senior middle attacker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) paced McKendree after hitting a robust .857, connecting on 12-14 attempts to go with two blocks. Senior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) finished second on the team with eight kills and junior outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) followed up with six kills of his own. Junior setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) dished out 35 assists adding seven digs and a team high four blocks. Fiduccia also landed three kills on four attempts for the Bearcats.

McKendree opened with a 6-5 lead after back to back kills from Walker and Wilcox. The teams traded points as the Bearcats capitalized on kills from senior middle blocker Michael Polizzi (St. Louis, MO/DeSmet Jesuit) and Patterson to move the score to 10-9. McKendree extended the lead to three after a 3-0 run that included another score from Patterson before Walker and junior outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) sparked another 3-0 run that was capped off on an ace from Wilcox to give the Bearcats a 17-13 advantage. Sophomore outside hitter Will Frank (Moro, IL/Edwardsville) entered the match and tagged an ace for McKendree to move the score to 22-18 late in the set and McKendree was able to hold on after back to back points from the Gauchos as Rueter closed the set with a kill to take set one.

Patterson connected three times early in the second set, but the Bearcats trailed 11-9. Santa Barbara then struck with a 3-0 run to push ahead 17-12 before a 4-1 counter from McKendree pulled the Bearcats within a pair at 19-17. The deficit remained at two points after a kill from Patterson made it 21-19 before the Gauchos closed the set on a 4-0 run to even that match at one.

Polizzi and Wilcox bookended a 5-0 run with a kill each to give the Bearcats a 6-3 to start the third set. Santa Barbara fired back with a 7-0 run of their own to take a 14-11 lead before issuing another run of four to jump in front 19-13. McKendree took four of the next five points with kills from Walker and Wilcox to pull the Bearcats within three points at 20-17, but couldn't overtake the Gauchos down the stretch as they dropped the third set by four.

The fourth set was all Santa Barbara as the Gauchos tallied three runs of at least four points, including one of seven to close out the match three sets to one.