The No.12 McKendree University men's volleyball team threatened the No.10 Loyola Chicago to a five-set battle in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) semifinals match. The Bearcats came out hot but were defeated in the deciding set to the Ramblers, to end their quest for the MIVA title (25-17, 25-12, 23-25, 22-25, 9-15).

The Bearcats came out with authority in the first set, running their fast-paced offense and making that crucial first contact count. Near the middle of the set the teams would exchange points, but the Bearcats would maintain their lead as they head into the final stretch.  A kill from Patrick Ross on the outside would end it for his team 25-17.

No.10 McKendree picked up right where they left off to open up the second set, and take an early 8-2 lead. The pickups and coverage by the Bearcats defense was a key contributor in giving their pin hitters multiple scoring opportunities. A kill by Ethan Carroll on the outside would end the set 25-12, and give his team a commanding 2-0 set lead.

It was the Ramblers that came out on top to open the third set. The Bearcats strong blocking worked to keep their lead, and give way to set up their offense. The Bearcats found themselves down by three, but fought back to reclaim their lead late in the set 22-19. A right side kill by the Ramblers would spark a 6-1 run to end the set 25-23.

The Ramblers opened up the fourth set on a 4-0 run, shifting the momentum of the game. Late in the set, the Bearcats rallied on a three-point run to tie the set at 18. The Ramblers would score four of the final six points for the 25-2 win to force a deciding set.

The Bearcats knew they needed to stay in the moment and play every sequence out to be successful in the final set. The Ramblers capitalized off unearned errors to build their momentum. The Ramblers would take the final set 15-9 and the match 3-2 to advance to the finals.

Nickie Sanlin's team recorded 48 kills for a .197 hitting percentage, along with 12 total blocks. Two Bearcats ended the night with double-digit kills, Patrick Ross with 12 and Ethan Carroll with 11. Ross added on four blocks and two assists, while Carroll had two assists and 11 digs. Zach Schnittker was also atop the leaderboard with nine kills, one service ace and 11 digs. Lucas Galifos led with six blocks and one service ace, while Francisco Comas led with 12 digs. Ryan Serrano recorded 35 assists with one service ace.