(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 26) – The McKendree University women's volleyball team is set to open Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) competition with a match against Rockhurst University on Friday at 7 p.m. in Kansas City, Mo., followed by a match against William Jewell College on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Liberty, Mo. The Bearcats open conference competition with an overall record of 5-6.
McKendree is coming off a 2-1 weekend performance at the Lindenwood Challenge in St. Charles, Mo. The Bearcats defeated conference competitors Maryville, 3-0 and Lindenwood, 3-1 in non-conference matches and then dropped a match to Flagler College, 3-1.
Offensive leaders for the Bearcats are 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). Russell leads the pack with 151 kills on the season, Voss is next with 98 total kills, and Misner is close behind with 93 recorded kills for 2019. Freshman libero
Amanda Tippett (O'Fallon, MO./St. Dominic ) is doing her part in the offense as well, leading McKendree with 13 service aces.
Defensive leaders for McKendree are Tippett, Voss, and Russell in total digs. Tippett has tallied 158 total digs on the season, Voss trails with 126 digs, and Russell rounds out the efforts with 97 digs. Junior setter
Gracie Marr (Castle Rock, CO/Castle View) is also a key defensive player, recording 93 digs. At the net for the Bearcat defense is senior middle blocker
Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown), sophomore middle blocker
Hope Gramly (Prosper, TX/Prosper), and Russell. In eleven matches, Marks has already tallied 49 total blocks, Gramly has 31, and Russell recorded 25.
The Bearcats will have their 2019 home opener Friday Oct. 4 with a match against Southwest Baptist at 7 p.m. followed by a match against Drury the next day on Saturday at 3 p.m. for parent's weekend.
ABOUT ROCKHURST UNIVERSITY:
Rockhurst University is currently ranked 13
th in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll with an overall record of 10-3. Outside hitters Karli Reichert and Alyssa Woodman lead the Hawks offensive efforts, Reichert with 154 kills and Woodman with 147. Defensive leaders for Rockhurst are liberoes Jadyn Makovicka and Jessica Schlautman, Makovicka with 213 total digs and Schlautman with 126. Blocking leaders for the Hawks are middle hitters Justice Wingate and Mary Rolf, Wingate with 34 and Rolf with 24 total blocks. For more information regarding Rockhurst University, click
here.
ABOUT WILLIAM JEWELL UNIVERSITY:
William Jewell College is 4-7 overall on the season. Offensive leaders for the Cardinals are outside hitters Paityn Hardison and Tori Vogt, Hardison with 98 total kills and Vogt with 96. Defensive leaders for William Jewell are defensive specialist Kennedy Ruckh and Hardison, Ruckh with 159 digs and Hardison with 63. Blocking leaders for the Cardinals are middle hitter Elizabeth Quinn and right side Maggie Wingert, Quinn with 44 total blocks and Wingert with 37. For more information on William Jewell, click
here.
