Kearney, Neb. - The 5th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team remained undefeated on the season after sweeping Colorado State-Pueblo Friday night and getting past Adams State in four sets early Saturday  evening. 

The Lopers (12-0) started this road trip on Thursday with an easy sweep of New Mexico Highlands. A more veteran and talented Pueblo team pushed the Lopers (-22, -23, -16) while the Grizzlies, another top West Division squad, took the second set from UNK (-16, 16-25, -17, -18).

Prior to that loss, Kearney had won 24 straight sets.

The first set against Pueblo (5-5, 1-1 RMAC) featured 12 ties and three lead changes. A kill from sophomore outside Ashley Leitner (Lincoln SW) broke a 20 all tie and then a block from sophomore middle Ellie Pesavento (Omaha Marian) and junior setter Jenna Rouzee (GI Northwest) forced Pueblo to call timeout.

Eventually down 23-22, Pueblo saw Rouzee get a kill with an assist to freshman Liz McGowan (GI Central Catholic). The set ended with a block from junior outside Ariel Krolikowski (Grand Island) and sophomore middle Haley Lake (Lincoln SE).

Kearney roared out of the gates in the second set, leading 10-6 and 17-8. However, the T-Wolves came all the way back to trail by just a 21-20 score and that forced UNK to call a TO.

Back-to-back kills from Krolikowski returned the momentum to the Lopers and, after Pueblo cut it to 24-23, a kill by Lake gave UNK a 2-0 match lead.

In the final stanza, back-to-back kills from Leitner erased a 4-3 deficit and UNK never trailed again. Overall, UNK hit .353 and recorded 10.0 team blocks.

Leitner continued her fine play by recording a double double (career-high 19 kills, 10 digs) and hitting .500. Also in double digits in kills were Krolikowski (14) and Lake (10) with Pesavento leading in blocks (four).

Pueblo was paced by Janae Heiser (16 kills, eight digs, .270 attack pct.) and Alea Wildman (14 kills, .407 attack pct.).

In Alamosa, the Lopers came out of the gates strong, hitting .615 (16-0-26) to win the first set by 10 points. However, ASC (7-4, 1-2 RMAC) turned the tables, going on an 18-9 run to win the second set by nine points and tie the match at one.

UNK controlled things from there as the match featured just two ties and one lead change the rest of the way. Adams star Dominique Davis had 10 kills and one error over the first two sets but finished with 14 kills and eight miscues.

The Lopers ended the night with 12.0 team blocks, led by Lake (eight) with three others having three a piece. Offensively, Leitner (15) and Pesavento (13) recorded double digits in kills and also hit well over .450. Finally, junior Kaleigh Anderson had a team-high 14 digs.

Kearney hosts Hastings College Tuesday night and then visits Colorado Mines and UCCS next weekend.