ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Lewis University's 12th ranked men's volleyball team returned to Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) play as it rallied for an epic four-set win over McKendree on Thursday evening at Neil Carey Arena. The Flyers dropped the opening set 26-24 but came back to win the next three sets by scores of 45-43, 25-16, 25-15.

The 88 points scored between both teams in the second set were the most scored in a set in Lewis men's volleyball history and was tied for the second most in a set in NCAA men's volleyball history.

Lewis (11-8, 3-4 MIVA) trailed by as many as six in the opening set before going on a 9-2 run to take its first lead of the stanza at 16-15 after a kill from John Davis (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central). The Flyers were the first to reach 20 after a kill from Max Roquet (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) but the two sides went back and forth over the next seven points and were still tied at 23 after a kill from Tyler Mitchem (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook HS).

Lewis reached set point first after Davis and Michael Sack (Oak Lawn, Ill./St. Laurence) teamed up to block Ethan Carroll. The Flyers weren't able to close it out as the Bearcats (9-8, 4-3 MIVA) scored the final three points to take the opener 26-24.

The second set saw 26 ties and 12 lead changes in it. Lewis led 15-11 midway through the frame but McKendree rallied to take a 21-20 lead after a service error by Kevin Kauling (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley). The Bearcats then scored three of the next four points to get to set point first at 24-22 after an error by Davis.

The Flyers fought off the first set two points to extend the match and then the see-saw affair began. McKendree had nine chances to close out the set while Lewis had 10 before finally closing it out at 45-43 after an error by Carroll.

The swing set was tied at 10 when the Flyers seized control with a 9-4 run and wouldn't allow the Bearcats to get closer than four points the rest of the stanza as Lewis closed the set scoring six of the last seven points to win 25-16.

The fourth frame was all Lewis as it .474 while holding McKendree to a .152 hitting percentage. The Flyers used an early 7-2 run to break a 2-2 tie and then later in the set went on an 8-3 run to build its largest lead of the set at 22-12 after an ace from
Davis. The Bearcats got to within eight but wouldn't get any closer as Lewis scored the final two points of the match to win 25-15.

The Flyers hit .343 in the contest with 63 kills against 16 errors in 137 chances. Mitchem led four Lewis players in double figures with 16 kills while Davis added 15, Roquet had 14 and Kauling finished with a triple-double recording 10 kills with 36 assists and 12 digs. Jason Gibbs (Bellaire, Texas/Bellarie) was tied for the match-high with 18 digs.

McKendree hit .244 for the match recording 68 kills against 28 errors in 164 chances. Carroll had a match-high 24 kills while Kevin Schuele finished with 17 and Patrick Ross contributed 15 kills. Ryan Serrano had 54 assists and Francisco Comas was tied with Gibbs for match-high in digs.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday evening at the Melvin Price Convocation Center in Lebanon, Ill., at 5 p.m.