(Lebanon, Ill., Sept. 25) -- The McKendree University women's volleyball team will travel to St. Louis, MO on Tuesday for a 7 pm match with the Maryville University Saints (1-11, 1-3). The Bearcats (8-3, 3-0) are coming off of a successful weekend in Great Lakes Valley Conference play, in which they picked up two five-set wins on the road. They defeated Missouri S&T on Friday (25-18, 23-25, 25-19, 23-25, 17-15) and Truman State University on Saturday (27-25, 23-25, 25-19, 17-25, 15-11).
McKendree is led offensively by a couple of seniors, outside hitter
Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) and right-side hitter
Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran). Williams is averaging 4.40 kills per set, which currently leads the GLVC. She is also averaging 2.38 digs per set, and has recorded 30 total blocks. Geiger, the reigning GLVC Offensive Player of the Week, is currently fourth in the conference in kills, averaging 3.57 per set. She is also second on the team in digs, averaging 3.33 per set.
Sophomore
Kelly Voss (St. Rose, IL/Mater Dei) has stepped into the libero position this year, and leads the Bearcats in digs, averaging 4.45 per set. Junior setter
Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) is fourth in the GLVC in assists, averaging 10.31 per set, and has also contributed 135 digs. Setting the tone at the net for McKendree so far has been senior
Carissa Lorenz (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West) and sophomore
Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown). Lorenz leads the team in blocks, totaling 44, and has 47 kills. Marks is second in blocks, with 42, and has 57 kills.
The Bearcats have won seven matches in row, and are currently in first-place in the GLVC Central Division. You can watch the match live by going to glvcsn.com/maryville/.
ABOUT MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY
The Saints are currently 1-11 overall on the season, and 1-3 in GLVC play.
They are led on offense by sophomore outside hitter Allison Lakin and senior middle blocker Ashley Selman. Lakin leads Maryville in kills, averaging 3.00 per set, and is fourth on the team in digs, with 50. Selman is second in kills, posting 75 so far on the season. She leads the Saints in blocking, with 30 total. Sophomore outside hitter Cassidy Arndt is second on the team in digs, with 76, and third in kills, with 62.
Sophomore Libero Maggie Murphy leads Maryville in digs, contributing 126 on the year, for an average of 3.60 per set. She has also collected 23 assists. Another sophomore, setter Kayla Buxton, has recorded 148 assists (4.00 per set), and is third on the team in digs, with 51 (1.38 per set).
McKendree has won the last five match-ups between the Bearcats and the Saints, dating back to the 2012 season.
