Limestone Post Game Press Conference
Lincoln Memorial Post Game Press Conference
*courtesy of Off the Block

(Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 13) -- Following a postponement of their match on Friday due to inclement weather in Nashville, the McKendree University men's volleyball team had to play a double-header on Saturday at the inaugural Off the Block Grow the Game Challenge. The Bearcats were up to the task at hand, as they won both of their matches, defeating the Limestone College Saints 3-1 in the morning, and then sweeping Lincoln Memorial University to finish a perfect 2-0 in the tournament.

In their first match of the day, the Bearcats hit a blistering .466 as a team with 60 total kills. Freshman outside hitter Patrick Ross recorded double-digit kills for the third time this season, putting away 15, to go along with five digs. Senior Nolan Rueter led the Bearcats with seven digs in the winning effort, in which he also posted eight kills and five total blocks.

Middle Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) collected seven total blocks and nine kills, while red-shirt freshman Wyatt Dimke contributed eight kills against the Saints. Junior libero Zach Thompson had five digs in the match, and setter Paquale Fiduccia earned 30 assists and four total blocks.

The Bearcats jumped out to a 14-6 advantage in the first set, with six different players recording kills. Senior Pasquale Fiduccia would put away the first at 25-18 with a successful attack, giving McKendree the opening set.

Finding themselves down by four late in the second, the Saints responded with a 7-2 scoring run, earning a set point at 25-24. The Bearcats fought off nine straight set points, before falling 35-33, as Limestone evened the match at one set a-piece following the marathon second set.

McKendree got off to a hot start in the third, and eventually doubled-up the Saints at 16-8. The Bearcats took the final three points of the set, routing Limestone by a score of 25-12.

It was much of the same in the fourth, as the Bearcats built a seven-point lead, and never looked back, winning the set 25-16. Redshirt senior Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) led the McKendree attack in the set, recording four kills.

In their final match of the day, the Bearcats once again hit over .400 as a team, out-killing the Railsplitters 42-23. Patrick Ross and Jared Wilcox both recorded ten kills to lead McKendree in the match, and they also combined for 11 total digs.

Brendan Schmidt (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt West) put away nine kills in the sweep, hitting an impressive .800, and collecting a team high four total blocks. Nolan Rueter had five kills and five digs, while Pasquale Fiduccia earned 33 assists and four digs.

The Railsplitters stayed within two points of the Bearcats in the early stages of the first, however McKendree finished with a 14-4 scoring run to win the opening set handily. Senior Jared Wilcox put away the set with a kill assisted by Fiduccia.

The second set was also controlled by McKendree, as they scored 10 of the last 13 points to take a resounding 2-0 lead in sets against Lincoln Memorial. They used a balanced attack to their advantage, as six different Bearcats recorded kills in the set.

The Bearcats used an early four-point scoring run to break open the third set, as they build a 15-10 lead over LMU. For the third straight set, Wilcox scored the set clinching point, as McKendree swept the Railsplitters with a dominating performance.

The Bearcats (2-4 overall) open Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association play on Thursday, as they will travel to St. Charles, MO for a date with the Lindenwood University Lions at 7 pm.