(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 19) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team is set to face No. 7 Loyola University Chicago on Thursday Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. and then No. 10 Lewis University on Saturday Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at home in the Harry Statham Sports Center.

The Bearcats are 6-5 overall and 3-1 in Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) play after going 2-0 this past week. McKendree took down Lindenwood University in a five set thriller on Wednesday Feb. 13 and then defeated Quincy University 3-1 on Thursday Feb. 14.

McKendree is thriving defensively at the net this season with an average of 2.8 blocks per set compared to the 1.8 blocks per set their opponents are averaging. As a team, the Bearcats have tallied 113.5 total blocks in their 11 matches whereas their opponents average a total of only 74.5 on their seasons. Leading the Bearcats blocking game is sophomore middle blocker Wyatt Dimke (Ham Lake, MN/Blaine) with 43 total blocks followed by freshman setter Ryan Serrano (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek) with 40. The efforts are spread across the board though with nine Bearcats recording blocks, the only other two who have played this season that have no tallied blocks are the liberos.

The back line of defense is controlled by libero Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell), Serrano, and junior opposite Zach Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove). Thompson and Serrano have each recorded 63 total digs on the season with Schnittker right behind them with 62 total digs. Freshman libero Francisco Comas (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley High School) recorded the highest amount of digs in a match for any Bearcat so far this season against Quincy with 22 total digs.

Offensively, sophomore outside hitter Patrick Ross (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek) leads the pack with 91 kills. Schnittker, Dimke, and senior outside hitter Will Frank (Moro, IL/Edwardsville) are next for the McKendree offense. Schnittker has 78 recorded kills, Dimke with 68, and Frank with a total of 50 kills on the season. Dimke has accumulated the highest hitting percentage on the team with a .408% on the season.

The Bearcats will travel to Columbus, OH after this two match home stand for a back-to-back match up against Ohio State. The first match will be on March 1 at 7 p.m. ET with the second match taking place on March 3 at 2 p.m. ET.

ABOUT No. 7 LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO:
Loyola University of Chicago currently sits number 7^th in the nation with an overall record of 11-3 and a 4-0 record in the MIVA. Offensive leaders for the Ramblers are outside hitter Collin Mahan, outside hitter Will Tischler, and opposite Luke Denton. Mahan leads the pack with 185 total kills, Tischler is next with 145 kills, and Denton follows with 118 recorded kills. Mahan also leads the Ramblers in service aces with 23 earned on the season. Libero Avery Aylsworth leads the defensive efforts for Loyola with 115 digs on the season. Mahan, setter Garrett Zolg, and Tischler are next. Mahan has accumulated 92 total digs, Zolg has 91, and Tischler has tallied 87 total digs. At the net for the Ramblers' defense is middle blocker Paul Narup with 64 total blocks, Mahan with 31, and Denton and middle blocker Kyle Piekarski, each with 29 total blocks. Loyola has 110.5 total blocks as a team on the season.

ABOUT No. 10 LEWIS UNIVERSITY FLYERS:
Lewis University has an overall record of 11-4 with a 4-0 MIVA conference record to earn the 10^th place ranking in the country. The flyers have yet to lose a set to a MIVA opponent in the four conference games they have played so far this season. Offensive leaders for Lewis are outside hitter Ryan Coenen with 143 total kills, middle blocker Tyler Mitchem with 129, and middle blocker TJ Murray with 98. Setter Matt Yoshimoto leads the Flyers in service aces with an impressive 39 total on the season. Defensively, Yoshimoto, libero Michael Simmons, and Coenen lead the team. Yoshimoto with 95 digs, Simmons with 87, and Coenen with 53. At the net for Lewis' defense is Murray with 58 total blocks, Mitchem with 57, and Coenen with 35 recorded blocks.