(St. Louis, MO, Sept. 26) -- The McKendree women's volleyball team improved to 4-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with a three-set victory on the road against the Maryville University Saints (1-12, 1-4). It is the eighth straight win for the Bearcats, who are now 9-3 overall on the season heading into homecoming weekend.

Senior outside hitter Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) led McKendree in kills with 16, hitting an impressive .467. She added three aces and five digs. Junior setter Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) led the way in assists, digs and blocks for the Bearcats. Senior Amanda Geiger (Tomball, TX/Concordia Lutheran) picked up eight kills and seven digs in the match. McKendree hit .319 as a team, and held Maryville to a .151 hitting percentage.

The first set was controlled by the Bearcats from the start, earning a commanding 22-13 advantage following a kill from Carissa Lorenz (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West). The Saints would cut the lead to six points, but that was as close as they would get late, with an attack error giving the set to McKendree 25-16. Arela Williams (San Diego, CA/LaJolla Country Day) led the way for the Bearcats offense with six kills in the set.

With only a slim 12-11 lead early in the second, the Bearcats put their foot on the accelerator, scoring the next seven points to break it open. Freshman Elle Russell (Festus, MO/St. Pius X) put it away with her sixth kill of the match, making her one of five Bearcats to record a kill in the second set.

McKendree built an early four-point advantage in the third, until Maryville took their first lead of the set at 16-15, which was part of a five-point run for the Saints. Finding themselves down 21-17, the Bearcats scored 5 of the next six points to tie the set at 22 all. Taylor Voss put away a kill for Maryville to give them the 23-22 lead, but McKendree earned the next three points to sweep the match 3 sets to 0.

McKendree will continue GLVC play at home this weekend. They will take on the University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles at 7 pm on Friday, and the Bellarmine University Knights at 3 pm on Saturday. Both matches will be played at the Harry Statham Sports Center in Lebanon, IL, and can be watched live by going to glvcsn.com/mckendree/.