(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 13) – The McKendree University women's volleyball team is on the road this weekend to face William Jewell College Friday at 7 p.m. in Liberty, Mo. and then Rockhurst University Saturday at 3 p.m. in Kansas City, Mo.

The Bearcats are coming off a home victory over University of Southern Indiana. McKendree overpowered the Screaming Eagles 3-1 to advance to a 1-1 record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) and 5-6 overall on the season.

Freshman middle blocker Hope Gramly (Prosper, TX/Prosper), junior outside hitter Kelly Voss (St. Rose, IL/Mater Dei), and sophomore outside hitter Elle Russell (Festus, MO/St. Pius X) power the Bearcats offense. Gramly leads the pack with 143 kills on the season, Voss is close behind with 137, and Russell is right after that with 125. Senior setter Morgan Melchert (Mt. Vernon, IA/Mt. Vernon) has assisted the Bearcats offense 461 times this season.

Junior middle blocker Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown) and Gramly lead the Bearcats defense in total blocks, Gramly with 40 on the season and Marks with 39.  Voss, Russell, and junior libero Alissa Zeitelhack (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley West) keep the back line strong defensively. Voss leads the team with 139 digs, Russell is next with 131, and then Zeitelhack has 116. Freshman libero Annika Beal (Belleville, IL/Althoff Catholic) and Melchert have also have notable performances for the defense with 113 digs for Beal and 109 for Melchert.

William Jewell College is 2-9 on the season and 0-3 in conference play. The Cardinals offense is led by right side Maddie Wingert's 100 kills and outside hitter Paityn Hardison's 98. Defensive efforts for William Jewell are controlled by libero Olivia Tolberd's 214 digs. Outside hitter Elizabeth Quinn and middle hitter Lacey Albers are strong at the net for the Cardinals defense. Quinn has 39 blocks on the season and Albers has 35.

Rockhurst University is ranked 12^th this week by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) coaches poll with a 10-2 overall record, 2-1 in the GLVC. Offensive efforts are powered by outside hitter Alyssa Woodman who has 166 kills on the season and outside hitter Karli Reichert who has 129 while the defensive efforts are centered on libero Kalie Arnold's 225 digs. Blocking leaders are middle hitter Emily Mation who has 39 blocks and middle hitter Mary Rolf who has 30.

The Bearcats will return home to face Maryville University on Friday Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. and then see action against University of Missouri-St. Louis the following day at 3 p.m.