PHOENIX, Ariz. - The 14th-ranked McKendree University men's volleyball team opened the 2022 season here Friday evening with a hard-fought 3-1 setback at ninth-ranked Grand Canyon at GCU Arena. 

The Bearcats got off to a fast start winning the first set 25-21 before falling the next three sets 30-28, 25-19, and 31-29. 

The Bearcats hit .300 for the match and struggled in sets 3 and 4 when they hit .261 in the third set and .136 in the fourth. 

On offense the Bearcats were led by graduate student outside hitter Ethan Carroll (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) as he recorded 16 kills on a .333 hitting percentage. Carroll also added one serve ace. Graduate student outside hitter Patrick Ross (Anthem, Ariz./Boulder Creek) added 13 kills and two serve aces. With the two serve aces Ross is now tied for second in school history with 64 career aces. Redshirt junior middle blocker Jacob Gall (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) recorded a career high six kills in the match. Redshirt senior Ryan Serrano (Phoenix, Ariz./Boulder Creek) recorded 38 of the team's 43 assists. 

On defense Carroll recorded a career-high 13 digs for his third career double-double. Ross and Serrano added 10 digs a piece. With the 13 kills and 10 digs Ross recorded his fifth career double-double and Serrano recorded his 12th career double-double. Ross and Gall also added three block assists, while Carroll added one block assist and Serrano added one solo block. 

The Antelopes recorded 64 kills in the match including 23 in the fourth set compared to McKendree's 53. Grand Canyon also recorded 11 aces to the Bearcats five. Grand Canyon was led by Christian Janke, Hugo Fischer, and preseason All-American Camden Gianni. Janke recorded 21 kills, Fischer recorded 18 kills, and Gianni added 17 kills while Heath Hughes had 53 assists. 

The Bearcats return to action on Saturday, Jan. 8 with a second straight match against Grand Canyon at 7 p.m. Central.