The record holder for career kills at Missouri S&T 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’ five-match 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.