The William Jewell Volleyball team continues to roll as they won their fifth consecutive match on Saturday afternoon over McKendree University in five sets, 25-23, 25-21, 21-25, 18-25, 15-12. The Cardinals now stand at 9-5 overall, and 3-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Both win totals surpass that of last season and are career-highs for head coach Carolyn Raynes. The Bearcats, who were previously unbeaten in league play, fall to 8-5 and 3-1.

In the opener, the Cardinals and Bearcats went back-and-forth with neither team gaining more than a three point advantage. With Jewell down 23-22, the McKendree committed three consecutive errors to give the Cards the first set win. 

In set two it was the Cardinals who battled from behind as they rattled off seven consecutive service points behind Olivia Tolberd to take a 13-8 lead. McKendree did not go softly as they pulled within 18-17 on two kills from reigning GLVC Player of the Year Arela Williams. Jewell's Leslie Booth stepped up and posted two kills and Madeline Johnson one, followed by a setter dump from Amy Lindhorst to push the Cardinal lead to 24-20. Another Bearcat error gave Jewell the set and 2-0 lead at the intermission. 

McKendree came out of the break and went to work as they held Jewell to a hitting percentage below .200 for the first time in the match. Still the Cardinals managed to make it close falling 21-25 and 18-25 to force a fifth and deciding set. 

In the final round the Cardinals jumped on top early with an ace from Alix Weigel before two errors allowed McKendree to take a 6-4 lead and forced a Jewell timeout. After the pause, the Cardinals went on a furious run on two kills from Stefanie Richterkessing and blocks from Johnson Grace Miller, and Jenna Rau to take a commanding 12-8 lead and forcing McKendree head coach Nickie Sanlin to take a timeout. A kill from Rau and a Bearcat error gave Jewell match point for the first time at 14-9. McKendree scored three points to make things interesting before a kill from sophomore standout Paige Cunningham shut the door and gave the Cards the five set victory. Jewell hit just -.095 in set five but took advantage of multiple McKendree errors win the set 15-12.

Overall the Cardinals held McKendree, who came into the match hitting a GLVC leading .257, to a .181 attack percentage. Cunningham led Jewell 13 kills, followed by Richtkerssing with 10, and Johnson with eight on a .316 clip. 

Defensively, Jewell had four players with double-digit digs led by libero Olivia Tolberd's 18. Lauren Johnson and Alix Weigel added 12 a piece while Richterkessing chipped in 11. The Cardinals also posted a season-high with 12 total blocks led by Miller with seven along with Rau and M. Johnson adding four each. 

After going 2-0 at home for the first time under Raynes, the Cardinals set out on a month long road trip as they will travel to Quincy and Truman State next weekend, followed by stops at Rockhurst, Drury, Missouri S&T, and Midwest Crossover before returning home on October 21 to play host to Maryville.