Anna 
The Lindenwood men’s volleyball team (6-12, 3-7 MIVA) suffered a hard-fought five-set loss to No. 10 McKendree (14-5, 9-1 MIVA) on Wednesday night in Lebanon, Illinois. Despite taking an early 2-0 lead, the Lions were unable to hold off a strong comeback from the Bearcats, ultimately falling 3-2.
Match Recap
Lindenwood started strong, winning the first race to 10 with a kill from Carter Stenmark. Another Stenmark kill gave the Lions a 15-13 edge, and they extended their lead to 19-16 after a Jacob Christopher kill. McKendree called a timeout, but Lindenwood maintained control, securing a 25-22 first-set win behind Stenmark’s six kills and a team hitting percentage of .448.
In the second set, McKendree jumped out to a 9-5 lead, prompting a Lindenwood timeout. The Lions fought back, tying the set at 16 with a kill from Brendan Louthain. A block by Amir Grant and Stenmark helped Lindenwood extend its lead to 20-17. Louthain sealed the set at 25-22, giving the Lions a 2-0 match lead.
McKendree responded in the third set, racing to a 9-4 lead and later pushing it to 17-11 after consecutive aces. The Bearcats controlled the rest of the set, winning 25-20.
The fourth set remained close, with McKendree leading 13-10. Lindenwood called a timeout at 22-18, but back-to-back kills from Grant and Louthain brought the Lions within two at 24-22. However, the Bearcats secured the set 25-22, forcing a decisive fifth frame.
The final set was tightly contested, but McKendree pulled ahead 8-6 before the side switch. Lindenwood tied it at 9-9 with consecutive kills from Owen Walsh and Louthain, but McKendree answered with two quick points to take an 11-9 lead. A key block by the Bearcats made it 13-10, and Lindenwood couldn’t recover, falling 15-11 to drop the match 3-2.
Match Leaders
- Zach Solomon – 53 assists, six digs
- Jacob Christopher – 17 kills, six digs
- Amir Grant – Eight kills, .800 hitting percentage, two blocks
Up Next
The Lions will return home on Saturday for a matchup against Purdue Fort Wayne. First serve is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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