LEBANON, Ill. – McKendree's men's volleyball team finished the regular MIVA season as the fourth-ranked team, earning the advantage to host the first round of the MIVA tournament. The quarterfinal round will take place on Saturday, Apr. 18, at 6:00 PM. The Bearcats will take on Ohio State, who finished fifth in MIVA.
The Bearcats concluded the regular season 17-10, 9-7 MIVA, after falling to Ohio State in a five-set heartbreak and bouncing back with a 3-1 Senior Day win over Northern Kentucky last weekend. This will be the third time this season that the Bearcats and the Buckeyes will face off, with the series score even at one match each, and McKendree is looking to make a statement on their home court. Junior setter
Nate Flayter is leading the Bearcats' offense to an average .287 hitting percentage, tallying 1015 assists on the season. Senior opposite
Bryce Wetjen has the hot hand, sitting at 353 kills on the season, while senior middle blocker
Rolen Lively leads in efficiency, notching an average .449 hitting percentage. Defensively, the back court is led by Flayter with 215 digs, followed by graduate libero
Yadiel Diaz with 183 digs. Lively seals the net, sitting at 88 total blocks on the season (10 BS, 78 BA).
After overcoming McKendree in five sets, Ohio State traveled across the river to Lindenwood, where the Buckeyes were handed a reverse sweep. Ohio State rounded out the regular season 14-11, 9-7 MIVA. Daniel Henwood Rodriguez runs the Buckeyes' offense with 894 assists on the season, leading Ohio State to an average .316 hitting percentage. Shane Wetzel leads the Buckeyes with 277 kills, followed by Stanislaw Chacinski with 254 kills. Defensively, Drew Hudson leads the back court with 185 digs. At the net, Eliel Salva-Torres dominates with 92 total blocks (6 BS, 86 BA).
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