(Lebanon, Ill. Mar. 4) – The McKendree University men's volleyball picked up a road victory over Saint Francis University Saturday evening in Loretto, PA in a non-conference show down. The Bearcats won by scores of 23-25, 25-19, 25-22, and 27-25.

The win boosts McKendree to 7-12 overall. The Bearcats return to action Mar. 10 when they host Grand Canyon University when the Bearcats return to Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association play.

McKendree saw four players reach double figures in kills highlighted by junior outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) who put down 19 kills to pair with six digs. Senior opposite Andrew Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove) finished with 12 kills, nine digs, and a team high four blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Will Frank (Moro, IL/Edwardsville) tagged 11 kills and five blocks, while senior middle hitter Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) went 10-12 from the field for a .833 attack percentage to go with four digs.

Junior setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) notched a double-double with fifty assists and a match high 14 digs. Junior middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) added four kills and tied Schnittker with four blocks, while sophomore libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell) stuck seven digs to help anchor the Bearcats defensive effort.

Rueter scored on three straight attacks to give McKendree a 4-2 lead to open the match. The Red Flash countered with a 4-0 run to take a 7-5 lead before a pair of kills from Frank tied that set at 9-9. Saint Francis went ahead 12-10, but McKendree a pair of kills from Rueter to spark a 7-0 run to put the Bearcats ahead 17-12. Patterson and Frank tagged back to back kills to push ahead 21-16, but the Red Flash strung together an 8-2 run to flip the script at 24-22 forcing set point. Rueter cut the lead to one with a kill, but Saint Francis scored on the next point to pull off a comeback win in set one.

Rueter used a pair of kills to open set two with a 9-7 lead for the Bearcats. McKendree followed with a 5-0 run that featured a kill and a block from both Schmidt and Schnittker to give the Bearcats a comfortable lead at 14-8. Schmidt and Patterson each tallied kills as the set moved to 18-12 before a pair of kills from Schnittker forced set point at 24-18, which was finished off by a kill from Frank to even the match at 1-1.

A kill from Patterson followed by a pair from Rueter helped McKendree to jump out to a 6-1 lead to start set three. The Red Flash worked their way back into the set at 13-11 before a kill from Schnittker and a service error moved the lead to four at 15-11. Frank, Rueter, and Schnittker each added a kill as the set shifted to 22-19, before Frank and Rueter each put down another kill to close out set three by three.

The Red Flash used a 4-0 run to open the fourth set with a 6-2 lead before moving ahead 10-5. The Bearcats responded with a 5-1 spree as Frank and Rueter each scored on attacks. Saint Francis used a kill to push the lead to three at 17-14, but a 3-1 run from McKendree trimmed the lead to one thanks to two more scores from Rueter. The Red Flash regained control at 22-19, but a kill from Schmidt sparked a 4-0 run to put the Bearcats on top at 23-22. The Red Flash rallied to tie the set at 23, 24, and 25 before a kill from Patterson moved McKendree ahead 26-25 followed by a kill from Rueter to close the set and the match for the Bearcats.