Kearney, Neb. – The 8th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team got a combined 40 kills from Erica Burson, Chelsie Carson and Nikki Scott to sweep Western State (-15, -16, -17) Saturday night at the Health & Sports Center.

On “Dig the Cure” Night, the Lopers improve to 18-1 (9-0 RMAC) while the Mountaineers drop to 3-13 (3-5 RMAC).

After losing at Chadron State on Friday, Western battled the Lopers over the first two sets. In each case, UNK pulled away about halfway through the set.

Scott (Broken Bow) led a UNK offense that hit .310 and recorded at least 16 kills in each set. She recorded a match-high 17 kills, hit a sparkling .652 and also supplied three blocks at the net.

On the outside, Carson (Elkhorn) had 12 kills and hit .417 with Burson (Gross Catholic) at 11 kills and five digs. Also for UNK, junior libero Katlyn Heiserman (Manchester, Iowa) had a match-high 17 digs.

For Western, Waverly native Jamie Hamsa had a team-high 10 digs and six kills.

UNK heads to New Mexico next weekend to face Highlands and the Western N.M. Mustangs