The record holder for career kills at Missouri S&T has now spread headed the Miners to another program first.
Outside attacker Nate Meyer had a team-high 16 kills as Missouri S&T upset No. 11 McKendree 16-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-21 on Friday for its first win in program history against a nationally ranked team.
Meyer led all players with five kills in the third game, including two kills as part of a 7-1 run midway through the game to erase a four-point deficit. The senior also had four kills in the final game to help secure the victory.
This was the fourth time during the Miners’ winning streak that Meyer finished with more than 15 kills. Meyer entered the weekend in the nation’s top 10 with a 4.23 kills per game average.
McKendree and Missouri S&T were tied at 19-19 in the fourth game before the Miners went on a 6-2 run to close out the match.
Pin-hitter Aaron Sallade contributed a block and the match-winning kill during the run and finished the match with 15 kills on a .333 attack percentage.
Camden Seaver also had 10 kills and hit .400 highlighted with a kill during the match-ending run.
Setter Grant Edmonds guided the offense to out-hit McKendree .300 to .271. The Miners despite being limited to less than a .200 attack percentage in each of the first two games rebounded and hit a team-best .485 in the final game.
Libero Bartosz Chmielewski led all players defensively with 14 digs, while Meyer had a season-high 13 digs.
Middle attacker Caleb Rohlwing added a match-high five blocks, including the game-winning block to close out the second game.
Pin-hitter Bryce Wetjen in the loss had a match-high 17 kills. Both Sam Hoksin and Tyler Tripp had double-digit kills and more than a .300 attack percentage the Miners.
This was McKendree’s first loss this season against an unranked team.