(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 4) – The McKendree University women's volleyball team defeated Southwest Baptist, 3-0 to open its home Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) competition. The Bearcats improve to 6-8 overall on the season and 1-2 in the GLVC.
McKendree opened the match with back-to-back kills by senior middle blocker
Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown) and junior outside hitter
Elle Russell (Festus, MO/St. Pius X) to set the tone in the first set. The Bearcats did not fall behind Southwest Baptist throughout the entire duration of the first set, which ended with a final score of 25-21 in favor of McKendree.
The second set also began with a
Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown) kill putting the Bearcats up right off the bat. McKendree's longest run of the match was a five-point run in the middle of the set that included three blocks from sophomore middle blocker
Hope Gramly (Prosper, TX/Prosper). McKendree ended up taking the second set, 25-20.
The Bearcats came out with force in the third set going on an eight point run to open up action, putting themselves up 8-0 off of a junior setter
Gracie Marr (Castle Rock, CO/Castle View) service streak. In the streak, Marr recorded two services aces, the most of any player on either team. The momentum was on McKendree's side the remainder of the match as the Bearcats took the third set, 25-21 over Southwest Baptist.
Offensively, McKendree hit a collective .313 hitting percentage on the night. Russell and Marks led the way in total kills for the Bearcats, Russell with 13 and Marks with 10. Sophomore outside hitter
McKenna Ross (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek) was also a pivotal offensive player for McKendree recording a total of nine blocks on the night. Marr assisted the Bearcats a total of 41 times in the three set match.
Defensive leaders for McKendree were senior libero
Alissa Zeitelhack (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley West), Marr, and Russell. Zeitelhack tallied 13 digs to lead the defense, Marr was next with eight, and Russell was close behind with six. At the net for the Bearcat defense was Gramly who recorded two solo blocks and three block assists in the match.
McKendree will resume its GLVC four game home stand with a match against Drury University on Saturday at 3 p.m.
