LEBANON, IL -- The Miners played the #11 team in the country earlier tonight, facing the McKendree Bearcats on the road. Despite taking the first set 25-23, the Miners were unable to take down the Bearcats, falling 25-23, 20-25, 18-25, 18-25.
Set 1
Missouri S&T went on a 3-0 to start the match thanks to back-to-back service aces by
Caleb Rohlwing (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) early. A trio of kills from McKendree's Boone Felts would put the Bearcats ahead shortly after though, taking their first lead of the match at 6-5. A couple of kills from
Zachary Carff (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Dominic) would help put the Miners back in front again a few points later, with S&T going on a four-point run to go up 13-11. McKendree would tie it up again at 17-17 though, leading to both teams matching each other in the ensuing points to take the set to 22-22.
Nate Meyer (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey) and Rohlwing each recorded kills and a block assist in the next four points, helping the Miners take set one on a 3-1 run at 25-23.
Set 2
Set two started the inverse of set one, with McKendree opening the set with three straight points this time. The Miners would cover the gap quickly though, with kills from Meyer and a triple block tying the game at 7-7. The Miners would take their first lead of the set at 12-11 after a kill and a block assist from
Tyler Johnwick (Lombard, IL/Glenbard East), allowing them to keep control of the set until a 7-2 run by the Bearcats put the Miners behind 20-16. A three-point run put the Miners right back into the set though, making it 20-19 before the Bearcats ended set #2 on a 5-1 run at 25-20.
Set 3
The Miners grabbed a 2-0 lead to start the set but quickly fell behind, struggling to win more than one point at a time. The Bearcats used a pair of four-point runs to go up 23-14, but the Miners were able to take four of the next five points before losing the set at 25-18.
Set 4
The teams traded points early in the set, leading to the Bearcats holding a one-point lead at 12-11. McKendree's Felts would record three hits in a six-point run that put them up 18-11 over the Miners before a kill by
Aaron Sallade (Palatine, Ill./William Fremd) broke the streak. The Miners were able to cut the deficit to five twice late in the set, with Meyer, Johnwick and
Bartosz Chmielewski (Aurora, IL/Metea Valley) all contributing kills down the stretch before McKendree finished the set and the match at 25-18.
Notable Performances
- Johnwick: Had his most active night on offense to date with the Miners, attacking a career-high 18 times and recording 8 kills with 0 errors for a .444 attack percentage.
- Grant Edmonds (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison): Recorded 32 assists, his second-most in a game this season. Also recorded a kill and 4 digs.
What's Next
The Miners host Thomas More on Monday night.
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