Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Truman State volleyball team won three sets by two points apiece to defeat top-ranked Nebraska-Kearney (17-25, -23, -23, -26) Friday night at the Health & Sports Center.
 
The Lopers (18-2, 5-1) lose two straight for the first time since dropping the final two matches of the 2009 season. Mean while, Truman improves to 17-4 (6-2) and pushes its win streak to eight straight.
 
The Bulldogs, needing to enhance their chances of making the NCAA Tournament, did that tonight by recording 66 kills, hitting .212 and recording 10.0 team blocks.
 
In the pivotal fourth set, UNK got out to a 10-4 lead and, after Truman came back to tie things at 15, went on a 3-0 run to force the Bulldogs to call its second timeout.

This set was the closest one of the night as it featured 14 ties and five lead changes. An unforced UNK attack error gave Truman a 22-21 lead, its first lead since 2-1.
 
Soon after, junior Ellie Pesavento (Omaha Marian) recorded her 14th and final kill of the evening to help the Lopers reach set point at 24-23. However, Truman tied things up on a kill by freshman middle Ali Paterson.
 
The 'Dawgs fought off two more set points thanks to a block by senior middle Megan Sharpe and freshman right side Abby Heise and a Loper service error. After a kill by Sharpe helped Truman reach match point, a lengthy rally ended with a kill by sophomore outside Allie Brak.
 
Kearney finished with 65 kills, a .184 hitting efficiency and eight team blocks. The Lopers also dug up six more balls than Truman, 118-112, and had a plus five advantage in the serve game.
 
Truman saw four starters reach double figures in kills with two also reaching double digits in digs. That pair consisted of Brak (18 kills & 15 digs) and Patterson (14 kills and 11 digs).

Heise (.345), Patterson (.341) and senior middle Emily Briseno (.316) each had efficient hitting nights with Sharpe having a team-high six blocks. Finally, Papillion freshman setter Meghan Zimmerman had 56 assists, 17 digs and four blocks.
 
UNK saw junior outside Ashley Leitner (Lincoln SW) come off the bench to provide 13 kills and seven digs with Pesavento, taking a team-high 47 swings, hitting .213 and having two blocks.
 
Next, true freshmen MJ Massanet (Manhattan, Kans.) and Christina Silver (Grand Island) combined for 17 kills, 42 digs and four blocks with sophomore libero Liz McGowan (GI Central Catholic) digging up a match-high 35 balls.  

Finally, senior setter Jenna Rouzee (GI Northwest) had 48 assists, 11 digs, nine kills, two solo blocks and hit a team-best .421.
 
UNK hosts Lindenwood tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.