(Rolla, MO, Sept. 22) -- The McKendree University women's volleyball team picked up its sixth straight victory on Friday Night, after a five set match against the Missouri S&T Miners (4-8, 0-3). With the win, the Bearcats improve to 7-3 overall on the season, and 2-0 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.

Senior right-side hitter Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) led the Bearcats in kills, collecting a season-high 26 and hit .408 (26 kills, 6 errors, 49 attempts). She rounded out a balanced effort with 14 digs, which placed her second on the team for the night. Junior setter Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) led McKendree in both assists (59) and digs (20). Senior outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) earned double-digit kills for the ninth straight match, and added nine digs and six blocks. 

Sophomore middle blocker Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown) contributed nine blocks and put down 12 kills, both season-highs for her. Freshman outside hitter Elle Russell (Festus, MO/St. Pius X) had 12 digs and seven kills, while Sophomore Kelly Voss (St. Rose, IL/Mater Dei) contributed ten digs. 

The first set remained close early on, until McKendree went on a 7-3 run, thanks to kills from five different Bearcats. They built up a five point lead on the Miners and didn't take the foot off of the gas, taking the first set 25-18 after an attack error by Missouri S&T.

The Miners jumped out to a quick 10-3 lead in the second set. McKendree battled back to tie it up at 17 all, but the comeback came up short, as the Miners took the close set 25-23, evening up the match at one set a-piece.

In the third set, the Bearcats built a 12-4 lead in the early stages, and the Miners could only get within four points of the lead the rest of the way, with McKendree taking it 25-19. Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) and Arela Williams combined for seven kills in the set, leading the Bearcats to the 2-1 set lead.

The fourth set was very competitive, with McKendree going on a six point run on their way to a 23-19 advantage. Missouri S&T responded with a string of six points of their own to take the set 25-23, and send the match to a fifth and decisive set..

Missouri S&T took that momentum into the fifth set, scoring the first six points. Despite finding themselves in a difficult position early on, the Bearcats didn't back down, fighting off four straight match points for the Miners, and earning one of their own at 15-14, following a five-point run. McKendree was unable to cash in on their first opportunity at match point, but quickly remedied that after an Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) kill and S&T attack error gave the Bearcats the gritty five set victory (25-18, 23-25, 25-19, 23-25, 17-15).

The Bearcats will look to keep their winning streak alive tomorrow, as they take on the Truman State University Bulldogs at 3 pm in Kirksville, MO. You can watch the match live by going to http://www.glvcsn.com/truman/.