(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 18) – The McKendree University women's volleyball team is set to compete in the Lindenwood Invitational Sept. 20-21 in St. Charles, Mo., for its final tournament competition before Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) competition begins.

The Bearcats are 3-5 overall on the 2019 season and are coming off a 2-2 weekend performance from the Parkside Hampton Inn Invite where they only dropped matches to Winona State and Upper Iowa, both teams remaining undefeated in their 2019 campaigns.

Junior outside hitter Elle Russell (Festus, MO/St. Pius X), senior outside hitter Kelly Voss (St. Rose, IL/Mater Dei), and freshman outside hitter Maddie Misner (Carbondale, IL/Carbondale) lead the Bearcat offense in total kills recorded in the 2019 season. Russell leads the pack with 111 total kills, Voss is next with 77 kills, and Misner is close behind with 74 total kills. Junior setter Gracie Marr (Castle Rock, CO/Castle View) is responsible for assisting the offense recording 340 assists already in the 2019 campaign.

Defensive leaders are freshman libero Amanda Tippett (O'Fallon, MO./St. Dominic ), Voss, and Marr. Tippett has recorded the most digs for McKendree with 124 digs, Voss is next with 92 digs, and Marr has proven to be a key defensive player with 74 total digs on the season. At the net for the Bearcats defense is senior middle blocker Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown), sophomore middle blocker Hope Gramly (Prosper, TX/Prosper), and Marr. Marks currently sits with 28 total blocks on the season, Gramly has 20 recorded total blocks, and Marr is next with 15 total blocks.

McKendree is set to open GLVC competition with a match against Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo., at 7 p.m. on Sept. 27.

ABOUT MARYVILLE:
Maryville University is currently 3-5 overall on the 2019 season. The Saints are a part of the same conference as McKendree and were selected to fifteenth in the GLVC preseason poll. Maryville finished the 2018 season with an overall record of 6-24 and a 0-18 record in the GLVC. For more information about the Saints, click here.

ABOUT LINDENWOOD:
Lindenwood University is currently 5-1 overall on the season. The Lions are also a new member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference this year, coming from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). The conference newcomers were selected ninth in the preseason poll, just one spot below the Bearcats. Lindenwood finished the 2018 season with a 16-14 overall record and an 8-10 conference record in the MIAA. For more information about the Lions, click here.

ABOUT FLAGLER:
Flagler College is currently 5-3 overall on the 2019 season. The Saints are a part of the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) and were selected fourth in the preseason polls. Flagler finished out the 2018 season with an overall record of 12-15 and a 6-6 final conference record. For more information regarding the Saints, click here.