Kearney, Neb. – The 9th ranked Nebraska Kearney volleyball team picked up two key wins on the road against Colorado School of Mines (-23, -21, 28-30, -25) on Friday night in Golden and Colorado-Colorado Springs (-25, -16, -20), Saturday night in Colorado Springs.

The Lopers improves to 26-4 and to 17-1 in conference play while Mines falls to 18-8 (11-6 RMAC) and UCCS dropping to 16-12 (10-8 RMAC).

By winning these two matches, UNK secures the No. 1 seed in next week's RMAC Tournament. Metro State (16-2) was the next closest team in the league standings. 

On Friday night , the Orediggers jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the first set and eventually held a 20-15 advantage. The Lopers tied things at 22 but a kill from Holly Hutchison put Mines back on top.

UNK managed to grab a 1-0 match lead by scoring three straight, the last two coming on back to back kills by senior outside Kelsey Werner (Grand Island).

The Lopers kept the momentum by getting out to a 15-9 lead in the second set. However, Mines battled back within one point, 20-19, after a kill from Hutchison (11 kills, five blocks, .364 attack pct.). UNK responded down the stretch again, finishing the set on a 5-2 run, getting kills by Werner and freshman outside Ashley Leitner (Lincoln SW) to close out the 'Diggers.

UNK was poised for a sweep as they were up 14-10 in set three. Mines stormed back to lead 20-18 before the Lopers tallied three straight, thanks to two more Werner kills, to lead 24-23.

The Orediggers fought off match point five times and then used an unforced Loper error and kill from senior outside Elizabeth Serra-Hsu (10 kills, 13 digs, five blocks) to win 30-28.

The fourth set was also a tight battle with UNK breaking a 19 all tie by scoring three straight. After a block from Serra-Hsu and Hutchison tied the score at 24, Mines reached set point after an unforced UNK error.

The Lopers managed to stay away from a fifth set as sophomore outside Ariel Krolikowski (Grand Island) recorded a kill and block, sandwiched around a Mines error, to end the night.

For the match, Werner had a career high 23 kills on 52 attempts (.288 attack pct.). Senior middle Jeri Walkowiak was second in kills (16), followed by a season-high 12 from Leitner.

Mines out blocked the Lopers, 9.5 to 3.0, but UNK had an advantage in kills, 72-62, and digs, 64-59.

In set one on Saturday night, the Lopers were in another battle as they got out of the gates with a 13-8 lead. The Division I laden-Mountain Lions hung around, tying things at 22 on a block from Nikki Kinzer and Lindsey Stitch.

UCCS tied the set three more times before a Werner kill and block from Werner and Walkowiak ended the set, 27-25.

The Lopers controled set two from start to finish by getting out to a 17-9 lead and cruising for a nine point win. UNK jumped out to another big lead in the third set, 14-9, before UCCS got within five points, 20-15. Two kills from Krolikowski and a kill from Werner kept the Lions at bay and eventually closed out the set.

Werner had another big night, recording 17 kills and hitting .257 with Krolikowski (11) and freshman middle Ellie Pesavento (10) also reaching double digits in kills. Walkowiak also had eight kills, hit .444 and had four blocks at the net.

UNK will host the RMAC Volleyball Tournament starting on Thursday night as the number one seed and will be playing the eight seeded Fort Lewis at 7 p.m. at the Health and Sports Center.