(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 5) – The McKendree University women's volleyball team fell to Drury University, 3-2 on Saturday despite tallying a season high 19 total blocks to the Panthers 10. The Bearcats are now 6-9 overall on the season and 1-3 in Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) competition.
McKendree opened the match with intensity taking a commanding lead over the Panthers in the first set going on to capture the first set, 25-18. Drury rebounded and offered strong competition in the second set, recording a team hitting percentage of .200 compared to the Bearcats .121 to win 25-19 and even things out at one set a piece.
The Bearcats recorded their best point run to open the third set with seven consecutive points. McKendree never lost the lead and defeated the Panthers, 25-17 in the third set. Drury answered back in the fourth set and once again and evened the match out with a 25-20 victory in the fourth set. The fifth set was close but the Panthers came out on top with a 15-11 win in the fifth set and 3-2 victory in the match.
Sophomore middle blocker
Hope Gramly (Prosper, TX/Prosper) shattered her career personal best with 13 total blocks in the match, tallying five blocks in the first set alone. Freshman outside hitter
Maddie Misner (Carbondale, IL/Carbondale), junior setter
Gracie Marr (Castle Rock, CO/Castle View), and senior middle blocker
Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown) were also essential in McKendree recording a team personal best in blocks. Misner tallied seven total blocks, while both Marr and Marks recorded six.
Senior libero Alssa Zeitelhack also recorded a season high in the match with 22 total digs. Marr, Junior outside hitter
Elle Russell (Festus, MO/St. Pius X), and freshman libero
Amanda Tippett (O'Fallon, MO./St. Dominic ) helped the Bearcat defense as well. Marr tallied 17 total digs and Russell and Tippett both recorded 11.
Offensive leaders for the Bearcats were Gramly and Marks. Gramly collected 12 total kills while Marks was close behind with 10. Russell was also an impact player for the McKendree offense with nine total kills.
The Bearcats will continue its home stand with a match against Southern Indiana on Tuesday Oct. 7. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
