GAME DAY LINKS
STATS
WATCH
(LEBANON, Ill., March 22) -- The McKendree University men's volleyball team wraps up its 2017 home slate this week with a pair of matches beginning Thursday as the Bearcats host No. 11 Ball State University at 7 p.m. before closing the weekend Saturday at 7 p.m. against Indiana University Purdue University-Fort Wayne.
McKendree enters the week with an overall mark of 7-16 and sits in sixth in the league with a record of 2-8. Saturday's contest will mark the first senior day in program history as the Bearcats honor its inaugural class of eight seniors prior to first serve.
McKendree is led by senior opposite
Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) averages a team high 3.51 kills per set. Walker has also tabbed 1.13 digs per set and 31 blocks for the Bearcats. Junior outside hitter
Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) is second on the team in kills at 2.84 along with 1.44 digs. Junior middle blocker
Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) rounds out the top three attackers for McKendree at 1.96 kills per set while hitting .489 to pair with 49 blocks.
Junior setter
Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) leads the Bearcats in assists with an average of 10.20 per set to go with 1.65 digs and 38 blocks. Senior opposite
Andrew Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove) and sophomore outside hitter
Will Frank (Moro, IL/Edwardsville) add 2.65 and 1.28 kills respectively, while junior middle blocker
Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) has contributed 1.68 kills, and a team high 1.18 blocks per set. Sophomore libero
Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) has a team high 2.16 digs from the back row to aid the Bearcats defensively.
ABOUT BALL STATE
The Cardinals enter the week ranked No. 11 in the nation, boasting a record of 15-6 overall and a 6-4 clip in conference play. Freshman outside hitter Matt Szwes leads Ball State at 3.67 kills per set on .285 attacking, adding 1.51 digs and .60 blocks per set. Senior outside hitter Brendan Surane is second in kills at 3.01 per set to go with 1.27 digs and .59 blocks. Junior middle blocker Matt Walsh round out the top three scorers at 2.05 kills per set with a team high .470 hitting percentage and 1.25 blocks per set that both rank second in the MIVA. Senior setter Connor Gross ranks second in the league with 10.57 assists per set to pair with 1.69 digs. Sophomore libero Adam Wessell leads the Cardinals with 2.05 digs per set. Ball State topped the Bearcats 3-0 in their first meeting this season and holds a 6-1 edge all time against McKendree.
ABOUT FORT WAYNE
The Mastodons are 5-17 overall and match the Bearcats with a 2-8 mark in the league this season. Fort Wayne is paced by freshman outside hitter Pelegrin Vargas who has posted 3.18 kills per set as well as 1.42 digs and .48 blocks per set. Sophomore outside hitter Colton Stone adds 2.81 kills per set along with 1.00 digs and .50 blocks per set. Senior outside hitter Nick Smalter also averages over two kills per set with a line of 2.26 to go with 1.26 digs. Sophomore setter Michael Keegan leads the team with 9.39 assists per set to pair with 1.61 digs, while sophomore middle blocker Graydon Schroeder has put down a team high .87 blocks per set. Fort Wayne came out ahead in a five set decision in the first meeting this season and holds a 3-2 edge all time versus McKendree.
