(LEBANON, Ill., March 25) -- The McKendree University men's volleyball team swept by Indiana University Purdue University-Fort Wayne Saturday night inside the Harry M. Statham Sports Center on the programs inaugural senior night that honored eight seniors from the original class of the men's volleyball program. The Bearcats won by scores of 25-20, 25-22 and 25-22.

The win lifts McKendree to 9-16 overall and 4-8 in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. The Bearcats return to action Mar. 31 against No. 1 Ohio State University in Columbus, OH.

Senior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) put down 11 kills on 18 swings to lead the way. Sophomore outside hitter Will Frank (Moro, IL/Edwardsville) put down eight kills and five digs, while senior outside hitter Spencer Sweetin (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) tagged seven kills and four digs.

Junior setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) handed out 23 assists and senior setter Jack MacLean added eight assists. Senior middle blocker Michael Polizzi (St. Louis, MO/DeSmet Jesuit) put down three kills and a match high four blocks, while senior opposite Andrew Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove) and senior middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) added five and four kills respectively.

Frank put down a pair of kills to help the Bearcats jump out to an 8-4 lead. Sweetin added two more kills around a kill from Walker as McKendree pushed the lead to 13-9. Fort Wayne rallied with a 5-1 run to tie the set at 14-14, but the Bearcats bounced back with 6-2 spree to go back on top 20-16 thanks to a pair of blocks from Polizzi. The Mastodons continued to fight taking three of the next four points to cut the lead to 21019, but a kill and an ace from Walker followed by a kill and a block from Patterson closed set one for the Bearcats.

Schnittker opened set two with a kill followed by an ace from Sweetin to give McKendree a 2-0 lead, but Fort Wayne responded with a 7-1 run to jump ahead and force a timeout from the Bearcats. Schnittker and Frank each tagged kills to help McKendree trim the lead to 8-6, before a 4-1 run that included three straight kills from Patterson, Frank, and Polizzi put the Bearcats on top 15-14. McKendree continued to roll with a 4-0 run after a kill from Walker and a kill and a block from Sweetin to extend the lead to 19-15. A 5-1 run from the Mastodons slashed the lead to 21-20, but a pair of kills from Schnittker put the set out of reach as the Bearcats took a 2-0 lead.

Fort Wayne came out firing in the third as the Mastodons bolted out to a 5-1 lead. Frank and Polizzi each landed kills to work the Bearcats back in the set at 7-5. Walker would score on three swings as the set moved to 13-13, before a 6-1 run from McKendree that featured a kill and a block from Patterson gave the Bearcats a 20-16 advantage. The Mastodons rallied within one at 23-22, but a kill from Walker forced set point before the Bearcats sewed up the match with three-point win in the third set.