(LEBANON, Ill., March 11)-- The McKendree University men's volleyball team fell in five sets to Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association foe Grand Canyon University Saturday evening inside the Harry M. Statham Sports Center. The Bearcats dropped the match by scores of 25-18, 23-25, 22-25, 25-20, and 15-11.

The loss dips McKendree to 7-14 overall and 2-6 in MIVA play.

Senior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) put down a team high 16 kills to go with seven digs and two blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Will Frank (Moro, IL/Edwardsville) posted 12 kills, five digs, and two blocks. Junior outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) added 11 kills and seven digs, while junior middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) put down 10 kills and a match high six blocks

Junior setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) recorded a match high 47 assists, adding seven digs and three blocks. Senior middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) added five kills, and sophomore libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) tied for a match high 11 digs for McKendree.

The Antelopes used a 6-0 run to take an 11-6 lead in the opening set. McKendree bounced back with a 4-0 run capped off on a block from Frank to pull within two. Frank then put down a kill followed by an ace from Fiduccia to trim the deficit to one at 12-11. Grand Canyon took three of the next four points to go up 15-12 before another kill from Frank and an ace from Schmidt brought the Bearcats back at 15-14. A 3-0 run from the Antelopes pushed the lead back to 19-15 before Grand Canyon closed out the set with a 5-0 run to take a 1-0 lead.

The Antelopes picked up where they left off using a 3-0 run before bolting ahead to 6-2. McKendree countered with a 5-1 run to tie the set at 9-9 thanks to a pair of kills from Frank. Schmidt and Rueter followed with two kills each as the set shifted to 15-15. Walker kicked off a 4-1 spree with a kill, before an ace from Rueter and another kill from Walker put McKendree on top 17-16. Walker and Rueter followed up with another kill each to start a 3-0 run finished off by a block from Schmidt to give the Bearcats a 20-17 edge. The Antelopes rallied to tie the set at 23, but McKendree closed the set with back-to-back points, finished off by a kill from Patterson.

Rueter put down a trio of kills, while Walker added two of his own to give the Bearcats a 6-2 lead. McKendree continued to roll with a 5-1 run to push ahead 13-6. Grand Canyon bounced back with a 5-1 run of its own to trim the lead to two at 17-15, before a 4-0 run that tied the set at 19 all. The Bearcats replied with 4-1 run to take a two-point lead before a kill from Rueter and an ace from Walker closed out the set to give McKendree a 2-1 advantage.

Frank kept things rolling by putting down three straight kills to open set four. A kill from Schmidt and an ace from Frank moved the Bearcats ahead 5-1, but the Antelopes battled back 11-4 run to jump ahead 12-9. The Bearcats used a 3-1 run to get back in the set at 15-14, but a 4-1 spree from Grand Canyon in front 22-17. Schmidt tried to bring McKendree back with a pair of kills as the Bearcats moved within three at 23-20, but the Antelopes used a pair of kills to force a decisive fifth set.

Walker and Frank opened the race to 15 with back-to-back kills. Grand Canyon responded with two of its own to tie the set at two, but Walker and Rueter sandwiched kills around ace from Schmidt to put the Bearcats in control at 6-4. Frank converted a pair of attacks as the set shifted to 10-9 in favor of McKendree, but Grand Canyon replied with a 5-0 run to force match point at 14-10. Walker put down a kill forcing a timeout from the Antelopes, and Grand Canyon was able to hold on, landing the final kill of the night to close the match.