EVANSVILLE, Ind. – McKendree University women's volleyball dropped its lone road match of the week, at Southern Indiana, in three sets. The Bearcats finally return to Melvin Price Convocation Center for their first home contest of the season at the end of the week.
 
Both teams entered the mid-week match with a 1-2 record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference while USI held the late advantage over McKendree, beating the Bearcats twice last spring. McKendree falls to 3-9 and 1-3 in the GLVC with the loss to the Eagles.

The Bearcats struggled to kick start their offense early but came back during the latter part of the first set. McKendree hit -.143 to open the match and only recorded five kills over the initial set.  The offensive efforts were led by sophomore middle blocker Lauren McCurley with two kills in the first set while junior middle blocker Claire Diercks and and sophomore outside hitter Brianna Binder both protected the net with three blocks a piece.
 
McKendree recovered with a strong offensive set where it delivered 18 kills during a lengthened bout with the Screaming Eagles. The Bearcats hit .255 in the set with sophomore outside hitter Colleen Preusser leading the attack with seven kills in the set while Binder collected five. The second set went to 31 points to decide a victor and the Screaming Eagles took the reigns over the deciding points.
 
Set three began slowly for the Bearcats, as the Eagles took a commanding lead early on. McKendree battled back to contest the eventual final set of action but USI continually knocked it through the Bearcat defense. The Bearcat offense came out of the third set with a dead-even attack percentage as McKenna Ross and Binder led the attack with three kills each and Preusser finished out the set with two.
 
In the three set match, McKendree was led by sophomore outside hitter duo Colleen Preusser and Brianna Binder, who both recorded nine kills. Preusser amassed 11.5 points behind her nine kills and also added two service aces and one block with 10 digs as well. Binder was just one point behind her teammate earning 10.5 points with nine kills, three blocks, and six digs. Senior outside hitter McKenna Ross posted a season-high of seven kills in the contest, also collecting two digs and one block for 7.5 total points. 

NOTES:
Sophomore outside hitter Colleen Preusser a collected her seventh match with double-digit points and nine-plus kills. Her season-highs came against Drury, a five-set win for McKendree, with 21.5 points and 17 kills.

Senior outside hitter McKenna Ross posted a season-high of seven kills in the three-set loss to USI. 

Junior setter Macy Tongate dished out 29 assists to coordinate the Bearcat offense. She now owns 382 over 12 matches this fall. 

Defense was a team-effort in the three-set contest as seven Bearcats recorded a dig while five players added a block. 

UP NEXT:
The Bearcats finished off their unintentional season-opening road trip at Southern Indiana and will host the first official match of the season at Melvin Price Convocation Center (MPCC) on Friday, October 1. McKendree will host UMSL on Friday, October 1 at 7 P.M. and then Truman State on Saturday, October 2 at 3 P.M., to open MPCC this fall. 

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