(LEBANON, Ill., March 6) – The McKendree University is set to take on Quincy University Friday, March 8 at 7 p.m. in the Statham Sports Center. The Bearcats are currently 7-8 overall on the season and ranked fourth in the Midwestern intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) with a 4-4 conference record.
McKendree split a pair back-to-back matches against Ohio State this past weekend. The Bearcats fell 3-1 against the Buckeyes in Friday's match, then rebounded and claimed the second match on Sunday, 3-2 taking down Ohio State for the first time in program history.
The Bearcats have proven to be a very strong blocking team this year as they currently have 148.5 total blocks recorded as a team compared to their opponents average total of 98.5 blocks. Broken down further, this means McKendree is averaging 2.6 blocks per set compared to its competitor's average of only 1.7 blocks per set.
Leading the offensive efforts for McKendree is junior opposite
Zach Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove) who has tallied 130 kills on the season. Sophomore outside hitter
Patrick Ross (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek) and sophomore middle blocker
Wyatt Dimke (Ham Lake, MN/Blaine) are next for the Bearcat offense, Ross with 115 total kills and Dimke with 90. Senior
Will Frank (Moro, IL/Edwardsville) is close behind with 88 total kills and then junior middle blocker
Lucas Galifos (Mokena,IL/Lincoln Way East) has a notable 75 total kills.
Defensive leaders for the Bearcats are freshman setter
Ryan Serrano (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek), Schnittker, and freshman libero
Francisco Comas (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley High School). Serrano has recorded 90 digs on the season, Schnittker has tallied 79, and Comas has collected 74 total digs. At the net for McKendree's defense is Dimke with 57 total blocks, Serrano with 46, and then Galifos with 41. The remaining blocking numbers are spread evenly across the board with six other Bearcats tallying double digit
After the match against Quincy, McKendree's next match will be against Lindenwood University on March 15 at 7 p.m. in St. Charles, Mo.
ABOUT QUINCY UNIVERSITY:
The Hawks are 4-14 overall and 0-8 in the MIVA. Offensive leaders for Quincy are outside hitter Omari Wheeler, outside hitter Stevie Bresser, and middle blocker Blake Sprecher. Wheeler has recorded 229 kills on the season, Bresser has obtained 118, and Sprecher rounds it out with 93 total kills. Defensive leaders are libero Noam Hannoun with 197 digs, Wheeler with 99, and Bresser with 86. At the net for the Hawks defense is Sprecher with 52 total blocks, middle blocker Jacob Sheets with 37, and Wheeler with 33.
