(KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 27) – The McKendree University women's volleyball team fell to No. 13 Rockhurst University, 3-0 in its Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) opener on Friday. The Bearcats are now 5-7 overall on the season and 0-1 in GLVC competition.

The Bearcats held their own against the nationally ranked Hawks to begin the match going point-for-point with them in the first set, but Rockhurst went on a three-point run late to pull away and take the set, 25-22. From there, the Hawks kept control and took the second set, 25-19 and the third set, 25-16 to collect the 3-0 win over McKendree.

Sophomore middle blocker Hope Gramly (Prosper, TX/Prosper) led the Bearcat offense with 13 kills. Senior outside hitter Kelly Voss (St. Rose, IL/Mater Dei) and freshman outside hitter Maddie Misner (Carbondale, IL/Carbondale) also impacted McKendree's offense, both with six kills. Junior setter Gracie Marr (Castle Rock, CO/Castle View) assisted the Bearcat offense 26 times throughout the three sets.

Freshman libero Amanda Tippett (O'Fallon, MO./St. Dominic ) was the defensive leader for McKendree with 13 total digs. Other impact defensice players for the Bearcats were senior libero Alissa Zeitelhack (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley West) and Misner, Zeitelhack with five digs and Misner with six. McKendree's middle blockers led the defensive efforts at the net, senior Megan Marks (Colgate, WI/Germantown) tallied four total blocks, junior Alexandria Muschong (Woodstock, IL/Woodstock) and Gramly recorded three total blocks each.

The Bearcats will continue GLVC competition with a match at William Jewell in Liberty, Mo., Saturday with first serve at 1 p.m.