(Lebanon, IL. Apr. 6) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team topped Quincy University 3-1 Thursday evening in a Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association contest. The Bearcats won by scores of 25-22, 23-25, 25-21, and 25-22.

The win improves McKendree to 10-18 overall and 5-10 in MIVA play this season. The Bearcats close out the regular season Saturday night in St. Charles, MO against Lindenwood University. First serve is set for 7 p.m.

Junior outside hitter Nolan Rueter (Burlington, WI/Burlington) led all scorers with 19 kills to pair with five digs. Senior opposite Maalik Walker (Shorewood, IL/Minooka) also reached double figures with 15 kills and five digs. Senior middle blocker Wyatt Patterson (Flossmoor, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) and junior middle blocker Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) each accounted for eight kills and three blocks with Patterson hitting .636 from the field.

Junior setter Pasquale Fiduccia (Hanover Park, IL/Glenbard North) passed out 54 assists, earning a double-double with ten digs. Fiduccia also put down a team high four blocks and added three kills. Sophomore outside hitter Will Frank (Moro, IL/Edwardsville) and junior outside hitter Dustin Borenstein (Highland Park, IL/Highland Park) each tabbed four kills, while junior outside hitter Jared Wilcox (Warrenville, IL/Wheaton-Warrenville South) scored on all three of his attacks from the pin. Sophomore libero was perfect from the field on his way to a match high 11 digs.

Patterson put down the first kill of the night followed by two each from Rueter and Walker to give McKendree a 6-4 lead. A 4-0 run with kills from Rueter, Fiduccia, and Patterson pushed the Bearcats ahead 14-9, before a 3-0 run from the Hawks trimmed the lead back to two. Rueter, Walker and Frank all scored on swings as the set shifted to 17-14 four more kills from four different Bearcats moved McKendree ahead 21-17. Quincy rallied to tie the set at 22 all, but the Bearcats closed out set one with a 3-0 run thanks to a kill from Walker.

The Hawks jumped out to a 6-3 lead to start the second set before surrendering three straight points as McKendree tied the set at 6-6. The teams traded kills through the middle stages of the set, but Quincy came out ahead with a three point lead at 16-13 and 18-15. McKendree used a block from Fiduccia and an ace from freshman setter Zach Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove) to pull within one at 18-17, but the Hawks pushed back in front by a pair at 21-19 and 23-21. Frank put down a kill followed by a block from Fiduccia to tie the set at 23 all, but McKendree couldn't complete the comeback in set two as Quincy knotted the match at one.

Set three swung in favor of the Bearcats early as Schmidt and Rueter recorded kill to give McKendree a 6-3 edge. A 4-1 run from the Bearcats that featured an ace from Patterson and kills from Schmidt and Rueter extended the margin to five at 13-8. McKendree continued to roll with after using another 4-1 spree to bolt in front 17-10 and was able to withstand a late run from the Hawks to take a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth set.

Four straight kills from the Bearcats including back to back scores from Walker gave McKendree a 5-3 lead. Patterson put away two straight swings to push the lead to three at 11-8, but Quincy would counter as the Hawks rallied to tie the set at 13. Wilcox put down a pair of kills to give the Bearcats a 17-16 advantage, before a kill from Rueter and a Schnittker ace put McKendree on top 20-18. Rueter followed with a kill and a block to move the lead to 22-19, but Quincy would take three of the next four point to slash the lead to one at 23-22. Borenstein connected to force set point at 24-22, followed by a block from Walker to wrap up the match for the Bearcats.