Lebanon, Ill. - The Maryville volleyball team made the short trip to Lebanon, Ill., in search of its first road Great Lakes Valley Conference win but host McKendree dealt the Saints a 25-18, 25-9, 25-15 defeat Friday evening.
 
Ashley Selman started the Saints off with a kill, and a McKendree error gave Maryville a quick 2-0 lead. After the Bearcats tied the set at 2-2, the Saints answered with three-in-a-row capped by Cassidy Arndt's kill for a 5-2 edge. McKendree took its first lead at 8-7 prior to the Saints going on a 3-0 run to retake a 10-8 lead. The Bearcats answered with a 4-0 burst and would not give up the lead the rest of the way.
 
In set two, the Bearcats registered the first four points until Allison Lakin had a kill to put the Saints on the board. Down 5-1, Maryville scored two straight on a McKendree error and a Lakin kill. However, the Bearcats scored six consecutive points. Selman and Emma Basler combined on a block to end the McKendree run. The Bearcats scored seven of the next eight points to build a double-digit lead and closed out the Saints.
 
The Saints had their best stretch of the match to open the third set as they scored the first five points. Makayla Campbell had a kill, and after a McKendree error, Selman smashed in a kill for a 3-0 lead. Kara Wright served back-to-back aces for a 5-0 lead. The Bearcats finally scored and cut the Maryville lead to 5-3. After a Campbell kill, a McKendree miscue gave the Saints a 7-2 advantage. A Selman kill provided a 9-6 lead but McKendree scored four straight to take its first lead. The Saints tied the game at 10-all before the Bearcats went back ahead. The Saints got as close as 19-13 after an Arndt shot but McKendree eventually ended the match.
 
Selman led the Saints (3-22 overall, 1-11 GLVC) with seven kills, while Maggie Murphy finished with a team-high 12 digs. McKendree improved to 15-9 overall, 10-2 in the league. Maryville is back in action Saturday when it travels to face Illinois Springfield.