LEBANON, Ill. – McKendree's men's volleyball team sweeps the series against Harvard after sweeping the Crimson in tonight's match. The final scores were 25-21, 25-17, 25-13.
Set one was a close battle, with neither team gathering a lead until the Bearcats would go on a 6-1 run, composed of a kill and service ace from senior middle blocker
Rolen Lively, a kill from graduate outside hitter
Tyler Tripp, two kills and a block from senior opposite Bryce Wetjne, to take a six-point lead over Harvard. The Crimson would attempt to fight their way back into the set, but the lead McKendree had forged was too much for Harvard to overcome. A block by redshirt sophomore middle blocker Will Kilmek and Tripp sealed set one in McKendree's favor, giving the Bearcats a 1-0 advantage on the match.
McKendree opened the second set with an 8-2 run, highlighted by kills from Klimek, Tripp, Wetjen, and redshirt sophomore outside hitter
Boone Felts, resulting in the Bearcats gaining a five-point lead early in the set. After trading points back-and-forth, McKendree would shortly find themselves on another run of three points, highlighted by a kill from Tripp, which would leave the score at 15-8. The Crimson would string a few points together, but ultimately, the Bearcats would prove their dominance, not allowing Harvard to get any closer than four points. McKendree would end the set on a four-point run, composed of three back-to-back kills from Wetjen and a service ace from Tripp.
The Crimson would come into set three hot. Harvard grabbed the lead early as a result of a three-point run. The Bearcats would respond with an 11-2 run, highlighted by multiple kills from Wetjen, along with aces from Klimek and Wetjen, to place the lead back in McKendree's hands halfway through a must-win set for the Crimson. At 16-9, the Bearcats would find themselves on another run of five points, composed of two kills from Tripp, blocks from Klimek and Tripp, and a service ace from senior setter
Jack Morikawa. A kill from senior
Matthew Molnar would give McKendree set and match point. Another kill from Molnar would end the set and the match and secure the series sweep over Harvard.
Wetjen had the hot hand in tonight's match, recording 16 kills while hitting at a .520 percent, being the only Bearcat in double figures. Wetjen was followed by Tripp with nine kills with a .368 hitting percentage. Junior setter
Nate Flayter dished out 31 assists, setting up McKendree's offense to a .378 hitting efficiency.
Defensively, Flayter led the back court, picking up 12 digs, followed by Felts with nine digs. At the net, the Bearcats tallied a total of 10 blocks (2 BS, 16 BA). Klimek and Tripp led the way, combining for five total blocks (10 BA), at 2.5 blocks apiece (5 BA).
UP NEXT: McKendree will continue their home stand and resume MIVA play with Purdue Fort Wayne next Thursday, Mar. 26, at 7:00 PM.
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