SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The McKendree University women's volleyball team concluded play here Saturday in the Capital City Classic presented by Holiday Inn Express and hosted by the University of Illinois at Springfield by going 1-1 on the day losing in four sets to Upper Iowa University and winning against Purdue University-Northwest in three sets.
With the split in its matches on Saturday, the Bearcats improved to 2-6 overall on the season and went 1-3 in the event hosted by UIS.
Against Upper Iowa, McKendree won the first set, 25-23 before dropping the next three sets, including falling 25-22 in the fourth set. Offensively against Upper Iowa the Bearcats posted a .140 hitting percentage, while being led by junior outside hitter Maddie Misner (Makanda, Ill./Carbondale), who posted a double-double with 13 kills and 11 digs.
In addition to Misner, sophomore outside hitter Brianna Binder (Littleton, Colo./Dakota Ridge) had 10 kills. Misner and Binder were followed by sophomore outside/opposite hitter Colleen Preusser (St. Charles, Mo./Luthern) with nine kills. Junior setter Macy Tongate (Towanda, Ill./Normal University) added a double-double effort with 37 assists and 13 digs.
Defensively, the Bearcats had four players post double figures in digs with Misner, Preusser, Tongate, and senior transfer libero Skyler Sieber (Naples, Fla./Montevallo) each had 10 or more digs in the match. Sieber had a team-high 17 digs, while Tongate had 13 digs, Misner had 12 digs and Pruesser finished with 12 digs. The Bearcats defense also added eight blocks, including five from senior middle blocker Hope Gramly (Prosper, Texas/Prosper).
Meanwhile, in the final match of the event against Purdue University-Northwest, the Bearcats won in three sets to snap a three-match losing skid. Offensively, the Bearcats had a balanced attack with seven players recording at lesst one kill and posting a .269 hitting percentage for the match.
The Bearcats were led offensively by Gramly, who had 11 kills, followed by Binder and Preusser who each had seven kills each for the match. Tongate and Misner had five kills each and Tongate added 24 assists, while Misner recorded 12 digs. Junior middle blocker/opposite side hitter Claire Diercks (Highland, Ill./Highland) added four kills and Sieber added two kills.
Defensively, the Bearcats had three players reach double figures in digs led by Sieber's team high 13 digs. Misner and Preusser added 12 digs a piece. The team also added a total of nine blocks, including six by Gramly.
The Bearcats return to action with their home and Great Lakes Valley Conference opener against Lindenwood University on Thursday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Melvin Price Convocation Center.
