(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 10) – The McKendree University women's volleyball team beat Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) newcomer, Lindenwood, 3-1 on Thursday. The Bearcats improve to 8-9 overall on the season and 3-3 in GLVC play.
McKendree was explosive to start the match going on an early five-point run to go up 5-1 on the Lions. Lindenwood answered back later in the first set with a six-point run of its own to tie things up at 22 points each. Back-and-forth play ensued, until the Bearcats collected two points in a row to take the first set, 26-24.
The second set began with Lindenwood and McKendree going point-for-point until the Lions managed a five-point putting them up, 19-14 over the Bearcats. McKendree went on its own four-point run but it was not enough to overcome the Lions in the second set as Lindenwood went on to defeat the Bearcats, 25-19 and even the match out at one set a piece.
McKendree soared to an early lead in the third set and maintained it for the entirety of the set. The Bearcats closed the set out with ten straight points with junior outside hitter
Elle Russell (Festus, MO/St. Pius X) serving to take down the Lions, 25-8, a season best.
Lindenwood answered back in the fourth set hanging in there through extra points but McKendree held strong and claimed the 3-1 victory over the Lions with a, 29-27 win in the fourth set off of a sophomore middle blocker
Hope Gramly (Prosper, TX/Prosper) kill.
Gramly helped lead the Bearcats to victory, recording a double-double with 13 kills and 10 total blocks on the night, tallying a new personal best four solo blocks in one match. The middle blocker also managed a .440 hitting average throughout the four sets of competition.
Other impact players for McKendree were Russell, senior middle blocker
Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown), and junior outside hitter
Kelly Voss (St. Rose, IL/Mater Dei). Russell led the offense with 14 kills and three service aces, Marks recorded five kills for a .385 hitting percentage as well as five total blocks on the night, and Voss led the defense with 11 digs.
McKendree will continue competition with a match at the University of Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday Oct. 12. First serve is set for 3 p.m.
