Kearney, Neb. – The 7th ranked University of Nebraska Kearney volleyball team went 1-1 on the day. The Lopers started off the day with a 3-0 sweep of Quincy University and lost to Mesa State 3-2 in the night cap of the UNK Fall Classic.

The Matchup between the Mavs and Lopers was non-conference match. They will meet again later this season as a regularly scheduled RMAC contest in October in Grand Junction, Colorado.

In set one, the Mavs raced out to a 5-0 lead thanks three kills from three different players and two attack errors on the Lopers. UNK would get within three points of Mesa State.

Set two the Lopers would score the first point on a kill by sophomore outside Ariel Krolikowski (Grand Island). After being tied at six, the Lopers would go on a 10-3 scoring run to led 16-9, getting kills from senior middle hitter Jeri Walkowiak (Grand Island); Walkowiak would go on to have a career high in kills with 21, her previous high was 20 kills. UNK would go on to win set two 25-16 and tie the match at one a piece.

Once again in set three UNK would jump out to a 7-4 led, getting kills from Walkowiak and fellow senior Kelsey Werner (Grand Island). Mesa State would comeback in the match to get within a point of the Lopers. Nebraska Kearney would go on to win set three 25-21.

Set four would see ten tie scores and four lead changes through the set. Mesa State would grab a quick led early on in the set, but UNK would battle their way back to tie the set at 14. MSC would go on to score the next five of seven points, getting kills from Meagan Bosch and Sarah Kemp, to lead 18-16. The Mavericks would win set four by getting kills from Bosch and Tara King, plus an untimely attack senior setter Cola Svec (Elkhorn), to tie the match at two game all.

Finally in the fifth and deciding set, the Mavs get a 5-1 led. UNK would battle back to lead 9-8, getting back to back kills from Werner. Again Mesa would find a way to tie it at 12 all. The Mavs would get two attack errors by the Lopers and kills from Celest Alofipo and Antoinette McCormick to close out the match and win 15-12.

For the night the Lopers had four players with double digits kills and digs. UNK was led in kills by Walkowiak with 21, followed by Werner (16), then Krolikowski (14) and middle Ellie Pesavento (Omaha Marian) had ten kills.

Leading the UNK in digs was senior libero Katlyn Heiserman (Manchester, Iowa) 29, then senior setter Cola Svec (Elkhorn) with 23 digs, followed by Krolikowski (21), and finally sophomore Kaliegh Anderson (Lincoln Southwest) had a career high 16 digs.


Earlier in the day UNK swept Quincy University 3-0 in the second match of the UNK Fall Classic.
The Lopers got strong performances from Krolikowski 12 kills and Pesavento had seven kills on ten attempts. Svec and Jenna Rouzee (Grand Island/Northwest) combined for 32 set assists.

Nebraska Kearney takes on Newman at 12:15 pm and closes out the fall classic against St. Cloud State at 7 pm.

Other Tournament Scores
St. Cloud State defeats Newman 3-1 (-15, -13, 17-25, -16)
St. Cloud State defeats Mesa State3-1 (-23, 23-25, -23, -22)
Newman defeats Quincy 3-0 (-22, -22, -14)