LEBANON, IL -- Missouri S&T Men's Volleyball picked up their first win over a ranked opponent in program history on Friday night, defeating the 11th-ranked McKendree Bearcats on the road 16-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-21.
McKendree jumped out to a strong lead early, going up 8-2 to open the first set. A 5-2 run by S&T cut the deficit to three, with
Caleb Rohlwing (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) contributing an ace and a block assist to the scoring run. However, the Bearcats steadily pulled away late in the set, using an 8-2 run to take the first frame 25-16.
S&T matched the Bearcats point for point in the second set, but eventually fell behind when McKendree went on a 7-2 run, giving them a 15-11 advantage. Back-to-back kills from
Aaron Sallade (Palatine, Ill./William Fremd) sparked a 4-0 run that helped the Miners draw even at 15-15. McKendree drew ahead by three at 19-16, but S&T immediately answered with a 3-0 run to return to a tie at 19-19. Sallade and
Nate Meyer (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey) led the Miners on a 5-1 run to close the set, combining for 3 kills and a block assist to tie the match at one set all.
The Miners fell behind early in the third, trailing 10-6 after three kills in a row by the Bearcats. But Sallade and Meyer took over again, leading a 6-0 run that put the Miners ahead 12-10. A pair of kills by
Camden Seaver (Palatine, IL/William Fremd) and a solo block by
Tyler Johnwick (Lombard, IL/Glenbard East) helped the Miners extend their lead, going ahead 17-13. Meyer, Sallade, and Johnwick combined for six kills in the final points of the set, taking the set at 25-18.
Needing just one more set to complete the upset, the Miners played the Bearcats close early in the fourth set, never allowing McKendree to lead by more than two points. Eight of the Miners first ten points in the set came off of kills. Sallade and Seaver both hit a .667 in the set, working together to put away ten kills in the set. Late in the set and tied at 19-19, Rohlwing picked up a kill to begin a critical 6-2 run for the Miners that also featured kills by Meyer, Seaver, and Sallade, giving S&T the fourth set 25-21 and the victory over #11 McKendree.
Meyer led the team in kills with 16 and added 13 digs to pick up his second double-double of the 2026 campaign.
Bartosz Chmielewski (Aurora, IL/Metea Valley) led the Miners in digs with 14, tying his season-high for digs in a four-set match. Seaver put away a career-high 10 kills in three sets played, hitting at .400. Rohlwing had another strong game defensively, putting up 5 block assists.
What's Next
S&T heads to #18 Lindenwood University tomorrow as they look to continue their five-match win streak.
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