(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 31) – The McKendree University women's volleyball team will be in Louisville, Ky., Friday to face Bellarmine University at 7 p.m. and then will head to Evansville, Ind., to take on the University of Southern Indiana on Saturday at 3 p.m. for its final regular season match.
The Bearcats are 15-13 overall on the season and 9-7 in Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) action. McKendree is coming of a 3-0 sweep over Maryville University Tuesday. The Bearcats currently sit eighth in the league standings and look to move up in the ranks in this final weekend of play to solidify a higher tournament seed.
Offensive leaders for McKendree are freshman middle blocker
Hope Gramly (Prosper, TX/Prosper), junior outside hitter
Kelly Voss (St. Rose, IL/Mater Dei), and junior middle blocker
Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown). Gramly has 336 recorded kills on the season, Voss has 323, and Marks has 224 kills. Senior setter
Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) has set up the Bearcats 1,120 times so far this season, spreading her overall career assist school record.
Defensive leader for the Bearcats are Voss, junior libero
Alissa Zeitelhack (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley West), sophomore outside hitter
Elle Russell (Festus, MO/St. Pius X), and Melchert. Voss has 338 digs, Zeitelhack has 325, Russell has 278, and Melchert has 270 recorded digs. At the net for McKendree's defense is Marks and Gramly. Marks leads the pack in total blocks with 106 but Gramly leads the team in solo blocks with 20 recorded but falls short to Marks in total blocks with 98 recorded on the season.
The Bearcats will be traveling to East Peoria, Ill., for the GLVC tournament on Nov. 8. Finalized seeding as well as the tournament bracket will be released following this weekend's matches.
ABOUT BELLARMINE UNIVERSITY:
Bellarmine University is 19-8 overall on the season and 9-6 in the GLVC. The Knights have a 10-1 record at home and 4-6 away. Currently, Bellarmine sits in sixth place in conference standings. In the last match up between McKendree and Bellarmine at home on the 23rd, the Knights won in five sets, 3-2. Offensive leaders for Bellarmine are outside hitter Jacquie Hornung with 263 kills, right side Bailey Roszman with 259 kills, and right side Katie Adams with 244 kills. Defensive leaders are libero Jordyn Kuchenbrod with 626 digs, Hornung with 289, and defensive specialist Karleigh Wilson with 223 digs. At the net for the Knights is middle hitter Abbie Oetting with 62 total blocks and Adams with 50 total blocks on the season.
ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA:
The University of Southern Indiana is 10-17 overall on the season and 2-14 in the GLVC. In their last match up the Bearcats defeated the Screaming Eagles 3-1 on Sept. 11. Southern Indiana currently sits thirteenth in conference standings. Lead attackers for the Screaming Eagles are outside hitter Alyssa Yochum with 192 recorded kills on the season, right side Elexis Coleman with 191 kills, and middle blocker Amanda Jung with 126. Defensive leaders for Southern Indiana are defensive specialist Haley Limper with 342 digs, setter Casey Cepicky with 214, and defensive specialist Lizzy Gardner with 194 recorded digs. At the net for Southern Indiana's defense is middle blocker Sidney Hegg with 76 total blocks and Coleman with 59 total blocks on the season.
