(LEBANON, Ill., March 13) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team is set to take on Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) opponent, Lindenwood University on Friday in St. Charles, Mo., with a 7 p.m. match. The Bearcats are 8-8 overall on the season and 5-4 in MIVA conference competition.
McKendree still sits ahead of its opponents in defensive skills at the net. The Bearcats currently have 153.5 total blocks on the season compared to 104.5 total average blocks their opponents have recorded. Broken down, this means 2.5 blocks per set for McKendree and only 1.7 average blocks per set for its opponents.
Offensive leaders for the Bearcats are junior opposite
Zach Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove), sophomore outside hitter
Patrick Ross (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek), and sophomore middle blocker
Wyatt Dimke (Ham Lake, MN/Blaine). Schnittker has recorded 136 kills on the season, Ross follows with 122 kills, and Dimke is next with 101 total kills. Schnittker also leads the team in service aces with 19 recorded on the season thus far.
Defensive leaders for McKenree are freshman setter
Ryan Serrano (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek), Schnittker, and freshman libero
Francisco Comas (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley High School). Serrano has tallied 98 digs on the season, Schnittker has 84, and Comas is close behind with 81 total digs. At the net for the Bearcats defense is Dimke with 57 total blocks, Serrano with 47, and junior middle blocker
Lucas Galifos (Mokena,IL/Lincoln Way East) with 44.
Next up after the Lindenwood match is the BYU Invite for the men's volleyball team March 21 – 23 in Provo, Utah. There, the Bearcats will take on No. 2 University of Hawaii, No. 9 Brigham Young University, and Princeton University.
ABOUT LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY:
Lindenwood is currently 7-13 overall on the season and 3-5 in MIVA competition. In their last match up, the Bearcats took down the Lions in a five set thriller at home, 3-2. Outside hitter Charley Hlavin, middle blocker Connor Hipelius, and outside hitter Nick Stevenson lead the offensive efforts for the Lions. Hlavin has tallied 174 kills, Hipelius has recorded 144, and Stevenson is next with 134 total kills. Middle blocker Sam Schindler leads Lindenwood in service aces with 27 total on the season. Defensive efforts for the Lions are led by libero Johnny Winkler, Stevenson, Hlavin, and Adam Brewster. Winkler leads the pack with 106 total digs, Stevenson has recorded 92 total digs, Hlavin is next with 89 digs, and Brewster is right behind with 88 total digs. At the net for the Lions, is Hipelius with 81 total blocks, Schindler with 59 total blocks, and Brewster with 41.
