Team vs. McKendree
Terry Griffin
2
McKendree McK 2-11,1-1 GLVC
3
Winner Drury Drury 8-5,1-1 GLVC
McKendree McK
2-11,1-1 GLVC
2
Final
3
Drury Drury
8-5,1-1 GLVC
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
McKendree McK 27 25 23 21 11 (2)
Drury Drury 25 16 25 25 15 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball | | Eric Doennig, Associate AD - Media Relations

Drury Volleyball Rallies Past McKendree for First GLVC Victory

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Drury volleyball rallied from a 2-0 deficit to edge McKendree in five-sets for its first Great Lakes Valley Conference victory of the season Saturday afternoon at O'Reilly Family Event Center. 

The Panthers (8-5, 1-1 GLVC) rebounded from a slow start behind a career day from Ella Rademaker and strong performances from a deep supporting cast to improve to 5-1 at home this season. Rademaker turned in a Drury career-best 20 kills to go along with six blocks, helping the Panthers hit .275 over the final three sets. DU also received a lift from freshman Skylar Hilton, who logged career-best totals of 11 kills and seven blocks to help power the Panthers' attack.

McKendree's Destiny Gray paced the Bearcats (2-11, 1-1 GLVC) with 21 digs and 19 kills on .281 hitting, while Peyton Uptgraft added a double-double of her own (39 assists, 12 digs).

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Drury appeared poised to cruise to an opening-set win after winning 12 of the first 15 points of the match, but the Bearcats rallied to claim five straight points (and seven of the next eight) to claw to within 13-10. 
  • DU maintained its advantage behind the play of Rademaker, who led all attackers with seven kills in the opening set.
  • The Panthers took a 24-21 lead to earn the first of four set points, but the Bearcats claimed the next three points to pull even, then won the last three points of the set after DU led 25-24 on a Hilton kill.
  • McKendree seized control of the second set with a 10-3 spurt, turning a two-point spread into a 19-10 advantage for the visitors.
  • DU pulled as close as 21-16 down the stretch, but the Bearcats took advantage of three Panther errors to close out the 25-16 decision for a two-sets-to-none lead.
  • But Drury answered with a gut-check performance in a see-saw third that featured 12 ties and four lead changes, hitting .333 to pull out a narrow 25-23 victory.
  • Neither club led by more than three points at any time in the set, with Drury ultimately claiming the win on back-to-back kills by Phoebe Riddle and Kim Quinit.
  • Rademaker led the reboot with four kills, while Mailie Chretien and Grace Gardner chipped in with three kills apiece in the third.
  • Drury jumped out to an early 7-2 lead in the fourth, thanks in part to service aces from Lauren Tyler and Chretien.
  • The Panthers stretched their advantage to seven points with a 9-5 run fueled by Rademaker's four kills.
  • McKendree used a 7-2 outburst to close the gap to three points, but a Bearcats service error and a Hilton kill closed out the set to force a fifth and deciding stanza.
  • In the fifth, DU built a 6-1 lead powered by two more key kills from Hilton.
  • The Bearcats mounted a comeback with a 9-4 run that pulled them even at 11-11.
  • But the Panthers held their ground, using a critical block from the combination of Hilton and Gardner to take a 13-11 lead, then sealing the victory on a Quinit service ace moments later.

NOTABLES

  • Drury hit .275 as a team over the final three sets after starting the day with an .022 hitting percentage through two sets.
  • The match featured 19 ties and seven lead changes over the first three sets.
  • Rademaker's 20 kills marked a season-best for a Drury attacker, while Quinit's 23 digs and Riddle's eight blocks also represent 2025 season highs by Panthers.
  • Hilton's 11 kills marked the first double-digit kill total of her Drury career.
  • Drury's two setters -- Tyler and Jacy Bray -- each registered double-doubles, with Tyler tallying 24 assists and 11 digs, and Bray totaling 20 assists and 16 digs.
  • Gardner logged a career-best six block assists, while Riddle's eight total blocks marked a career high for the senior.
  • DU's 28 block assists and 90 digs represent season highs for the Panthers.
  • Emerson Grossman gave the Panthers a lift, recording a career-bets five kills and a block over the final three sets.

UP NEXT
Drury embarks on a six-match road swing next Friday (Oct. 3) with a 6 p.m. contest against Rockhurst in Kansas City.

For all the latest information on Drury athletics, please visit drurypanthers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Panthers on X and Instagram.

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