(SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Jan. 10) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team matched the level of play of No. 4 Long Beach State but weren't able to come out victorious in its second match of the Asics Invitational in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Friday. The Bearcats dropped the match, 3-1 to Long Beach.

McKendree dominated the first set recording a .458 team hitting percentage with three Bearcats ending the set above .600. The 25-15 win in set one marked the first time in McKendree program history that the Bearcats notched a set on Long Beach in its three match history.  

Tough competition ensued in the second set with the Bearcats leading early on. The Beach managed a five-point run on McKendree that was just enough to help push them to a 25-23 win over the Bearcats. McKendree battled into extra points in the third set but fell, 26-24.  The Bearcats never gave up in the fourth set but weren't able to overpower Long Beach State as the Beach went on to win the set 25-23 and the match 3-1.

Three Bearcats recorded double-digit kills for the McKendree offense. Senior opposite Zach Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove) set the pace with 14 kills, junior middle blocker Wyatt Dimke (Ham Lake, MN/Blaine) followed suit with 12, and junior outside hitter Patrick Ross (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek) rounded out the efforts with 11 kills on the night.

Ross was also a key defensive player for McKendree, tallying 12 digs in the four set match to earn a double-double on the night. Freshman libero Francisco Comas (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley High School) was another important defensive player for McKendree, recording the most digs from any one player on either team with16 total digs. As a team, The Bearcats held a strong defense at the net recording seven total blocks compared Long Beach's five.

McKendree will close out the Asics Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 12 with a match against the tournament host, No. 5 the University of California Santa Barbara. First serve is set for 8 p.m. PST.