(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 31) – The McKendree University women's volleyball team is set to host four back-to-back Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) contests beginning with UIS and Lewis this weekend. The match on Friday against UIS will begin at 7 p.m. while the match against Lewis on Saturday will start at 3 p.m.

The Bearcats are coming off a 1-1 weekend against GLVC foes where they defeated Bellarmine University in five sets, 3-2 and fell to the University of Indianapolis, 3-0. Overall on the season, McKendree is 11-12 and then 4-5 in GLVC competition.

Offensive leaders for the Bearcat squad are junior outside hitter Elle Russell (Festus, MO/St. Pius X), sophomore middle blocker Hope Gramly (Prosper, TX/Prosper), and senior outside hitter Kelly Voss (St. Rose, IL/Mater Dei). Russell leads the pack with 246 total kills, Gramly is next with 189, and Voss is close behind with 180 total kills on the season. Junior setter Gracie Marr (Castle Rock, CO/Castle View) has set up the McKendree offense 773 times this season.

Controlling the back line as defensive leaders for the Bearcats are Voss, freshman libero Amanda Tippett (O'Fallon, MO./St. Dominic ), and senior libero Alissa Zeitelhack (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley West). Voss leads the way with 222 digs, Tippett is next with 207, and Zeitelhack follows closely with 185 total digs on the season.

At the net for McKendree's defense is senior middle blocker Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown) and Gramly. Marks has recorded 10 solo blocks and 71 block assists for a total of 81 blocks on the season and Gramly follows suit with 13 solo blocks and 67 block assists for 80 total blocks on the season.

The Bearcats will close out the four match home stand with a match against Maryville University On Nov. 8 and Missouri S&T on Nov. 9.