Box Score LEBANON, Ill. – A day after falling at Quincy University, the King University men's volleyball team faced McKendree University on Sunday afternoon. The Bearcats came out swinging early, and didn't let up as they took the three-set sweep 25-21, 25-15, 25-16.
McKendree (5-10) quickly earned a 6-3 lead to start the first set, but the Tornado (6-4) came back to get within 10-9 following a Sean Luhmann kill. Following three straight Bearcat points, King scored four straight points, three on kills from Nick Serowski to even the frame at 13-13. The teams traded points until McKendree began to gain separation at the end of the frame. Leading 18-17, the Bearcats scored back-to-back points to stretch the lead to 20-17, forcing a King timeout. Luhmann and Serowski teamed up for consecutive kills to pull King within 22-21, but the Bearcats scored the final three points to take the set 25-21.
The Bearcats opened up a 5-0 lead in the second set, but the Tornado came back and made the score 8-7 with back-to-back kills from Jeff Sprayberry and Mason Casner. Leading 13-11, McKendree rolled off five straight points to open up an 18-11 lead before Chris Gerber and Luhmann came up with a block. The Bearcats then went on to take the set 25-15.
King came out in the third set and opened up a 6-3 lead following consecutive kills from Luhmann, Eddie Moushikhian and Mason Casner. However, McKendree came back and evened the frame at 9-9 before taking an 11-9 lead with three straight kills. Leading 13-12, the Bearcats scored four straight points, opening up a 17-13 advantage as they went on to take the set 25-16 and the match 3-0.
McKendree hit a blistering .346 in the match while the Tornado posted a .185 attack percentage. Sprayberry led King with eight kills while Casner followed with six and Serowski added five kills and six digs.
King will be in action again on Tuesday when they host Pfeiffer University. First serve from the Student Center Complex is slated for 7:00 p.m.
