Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The 9th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team got 23 total kills from outside hitters Ashley Leitner and MJ Massanet to sweep Missouri Western State (-21, -10, -15) Tuesday night at the Health & Sports Center.
 
UNK improves to 19-3 (5-2) while the Griffons drop below the .500 mark at 11-12 (4-5).
 
Hitting a solid .343 on the night, Kearney led the entire first set but had to fight to grab a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
Down seven, Western reeled off four straight points to make the score 20-17 and force the Lopers to take a timeout.  The mini-spurt featured a kill and ace by Amanda Boender and two unforced UNK errors. 
 
UNK countered with five kills to close out the Griffons, two coming freshman middle Bailey Sokolowski (Kearney Catholic). The Lopers then dominated the next stanza, hitting .519 (15-1-27) while Western had more errors (seven) than kills (six).
 
Western put up more of a battle in the final set but UNK used a 7-2 run to open up a 22-14 cushion. This stretch featured a block and kill by sophomore setter Erin Seele (Johnstown, Colo.).
 
Massanet (Manhattan, Kans.)  had another double double, going for a match-high 15 kills and 10 digs. Leitner (Lincoln SW), meanwhile, finished with eight kills with senior middle Katie Sokolowski (Kearney Catholic) having five kills and a team-best .455 hitting efficiency.
 
Freshman southpaw Kelsey Olion paced Western, going for 10 kills and six digs.
 
Southwest Baptist visits Friday night. An improved Bearcats squad (14-5, 4-5) beat Central Oklahoma in five sets tonight at home.