(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 28) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team is back on the road for back-to-back matches against Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio on March 1 and 3. The Friday match is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET while the Sunday match is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
The Bearcats are 6-7 overall on the season and 3-3 in Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) competition. Currently, McKendree is ranked fourth in the conference while Ohio State is ranked seventh with a 1-5 MIVA record.
Offensive leaders for the Bearcats are sophomore outside hitter
Patrick Ross (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek), junior opposite
Zach Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove), and sophomore middle blocker
Wyatt Dimke (Ham Lake, MN/Blaine). Ross has tallied 109 kills on the season, Schnittker has recorded 104, and Dimke has a total of 79 kills. Dimke also leads the team with the highest hitting percentage on the season with a .387%. Freshman setter
Ryan Serrano (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek) has set up the offense 430 times this season.
Defensive leaders are Serrano, Schnittker, and senior libero
Zach Thompson (Defiance, MO/Francis Howell). Serrano has tallied 78 total digs, Schnittker has had 72 total digs, and Thompson has recorded 63 total digs. Freshman libero
Francisco Comas (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley High School) also has a notable 59 digs on the season. At the net for the Bearcat defense is Dimke with 50 total blocks, Serrano is next with 43 total blocks, and then Schnittker follows with 31 total blocks. McKendree currently has a total of 127.5 blocks compared to only 87.5 blocks its opponents have averaged.
The Bearcats will return home March 8 for a match against Quincy University in the Statham Sports Center at 7 p.m.
ABOUT OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY:
The Buckeyes are 5-11 overall and 1-5 in the MIVA. Offensive leaders for Ohio State are opposite Jake Hanes with 133 total kills, followed by outside hitter Martin Lallemand with 131 total kills, with middle blocker Blake Leeson next at 112 kills. Leeson also leads the team in hitting percentage when comparing the kills to total attacks with .511% on the season. Defensive leaders are libero Aaron Samarin, Lallemand, and outside hitter Reese Devilbiss. Samarin leads the pack with 89 total digs, Lallemand follows with 61 total digs, and Devilbiss is right behind with 60 digs on the season. At the net for the Buckeye's defense is Leeson with 52 total blocks, lallemand with 22 total blocks, and Devilbiss with 18.
