Lopers Roll in MIAA Opener
Kearney, Neb. – The top-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team served up seven aces and redshirt sophomore middle Bailee Sterling had another efficient night as the Lopers swept Emporia State (-19, -15, -17) Friday night at the Health & Sports Center.
This was the MIAA opener for both teams with UNK moving to 9-0 and setting up a big match Saturday night against third-ranked Washburn. The Ichabods (9-1, 1-0) swept Fort Hays State Friday to win its league opener.
Hitting .214 on the night, UNK held leads of 14-5 and 20-9 in the opening set. The Lopers aced the Hornets four times in the first, two coming from Kearney senior setter Madison Squiers. Senior middle Anna Squiers then had four kills in seven swings to thwart a late Hornet 10-4 run.
Trailing only once in the match, the Lopers got five kills from North Platte junior right side Sami Mauch in the second with Sterling and Kansas freshman outside Asha Regier having four kills apiece in the third. E-State finished with just a .078 hitting percentage, committing 10 unforced errors along the way, while also being called for four ball handling miscues.
Sterling (Kearney H.S.) went for 10 kills in 15 swings with just one error (.600 pct.). She is hitting a team-best .353 on the year and is up to 1.6 kills per set. Next, Regier tallied nine kills and hit .421, Anna Squiers supplied seven kills, four digs and three blocks with Mauch at 10 digs, seven kills, three blocks and an ace. Finally, Alliance redshirt sophomore Emersen Cyza came off the bench to have seven kills in a team-high 24 attempts.
Recording nine team blocks, Emporia was led by junior outside Shelby Ebert who had a match-high 15 digs as well as four kills and two blocks.
