(LEBANON, Ill., Jan. 30) – The McKendree University men's volleyball team is set to take on Urbana University on Friday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. followed by a match against Tusculum University on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. for its final contests before Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) competition begins on Feb. 7.
Both competitors, Urbana and Tusculum, are in their inaugural seasons as first year programs and members of the NCAA men's volleyball realm. Urbana is 0-8 overall on the season and Tusculum is 2-5 to begin its seasons.
The Bearcats are 4-4 overall on the season after going 1-2 at the Lindenwood Invitational this past weekend, Jan. 24-26. McKendree was defeated by Grand Canyon University and the University of California, San Diego in the first two days of the tournament and then ended the Invitational with a 3-0 sweep over Lees-McRae.
Senior Opposite
Zach Schnittker (Arlington Heights, IL/Buffalo Grove), junior outside hitter
Patrick Ross (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek), and junior middle blocker
Wyatt Dimke (Ham Lake, MN/Blaine) lead the offensive efforts for the Bearcats. Schnittker has 80 kills in eight matches, averaging 10 kills a match for McKendree. Ross is close behind with 68 kills and leads the team in service aces with 11. Dimke leads the Bearcats in hitting percentage with 55 kills on 107 attempts and just 11 errors for a .411 hitting percentage on the season.
Defensively, the efforts are spread across the board for the Bearcats. Sophomore setter
Ryan Serrano (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek) leads the team with 62 digs, sophomore libero
Francisco Comas (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley High School) is next with 58, and Ross follows with 46 total digs. At the net, Dimke and senior middle blocker
Lucas Galifos (Mokena,IL/Lincoln Way East) lead the blocking efforts for McKendree. Dimke has tallied five solo blocks and 24 block assists while Galifos has recorded two solo blocks and 21 block assists.
The Bearcats will open up MIVA conference competition with a three-game road stint, beginning with a match at No. 6 Lewis University on Feb. 7 in Romeoville, Ill. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
