LEBANON, ILL. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis volleyball team rallied from a two-set deficit at McKendree on Tuesday night to earn a 3-2 win, handing the co-GLVC leader its first loss at home this season.
 
Sophomore Selena Nolte led the Tritons with 20 kills, while senior and reigning GLVC Offensive Player of the Week Madyson Abeyta recorded 57 assists and 19 digs.
 
UMSL improved its win streak to four matches and has won 10 of its last 11 contests. The Tritons also pick up win number 21 on the year, equaling the most for the program since the 2009 team finished 21-11.
 
UMSL 3, McKendree 2 (23-25, 15-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-11)
Records: UMSL (21-7, 11-6 GLVC), McKendree (20-7, 14-2 GLVC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- A 6-0 run by UMSL in the opening frame turned a 15-13 deficit into a 19-15 advantage with redshirt sophomore Maddy Russell recording three kills during that stretch. However, the Bearcats clawed back to tie it at 20-20 before taking the set.
- McKendree jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the second set before building it to 19-8.
- A 5-1 Tritons run in the third set with aces from sophomore Morgan Childers and senior Madyson Abeyta helped UMSL take a 20-19 lead. The Tritons then had set point twice before clinching the set on their third try on a block from sophomore Selena Nolte.
- A block from Abeyta and junior Alex Miner gave UMSL a 14-9 lead, but four straight kills and an ace from the Bearcats tied it up. The Tritons scored the final five points of the set, three of which came on Russell kills.
- UMSL scored the first three points and led 6-3 on a Miner kill before McKendree tied it at 7-7. A team service ace with the Bearcats out of rotation gave the Tritons an 11-8 advantage.
 
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- UMSL hit .226 and held an 11-9 advantage in blocks, while McKendree hit .258.
- After hitting .149 in the first two sets, the Tritons hit .276 over the final three.
- Abeyta's double-double was her fourth straight.
- Russell tallied 17 kills, while sophomore Kylie Rudsinski (13) and Miner (10) also reached double figures.
- Senior Danielle Waedekin finished with 26 digs.
- Senior Kara Roggemann led the team with five blocks.
- McKendree seniors Arela Williams (26) and Amanda Geiger (23) combined for 49 of their team's 68 kills.
 
UP NEXT
UMSL plays its final regular season game on Saturday, hosting Illinois Springfield at 1 p.m. Prior to the match, the Tritons will honor their six graduating players (Madyson Abeyta, Gina Pezze, Kara Roggemann, Kayla Shane, Kristen Uradzionek and Danielle Waedekin.)