Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The 7th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team had to dig deep for a win Friday night at Pittsburg State in Kansas.
 
Against the new-look Gorillas, UNK not only won the fourth set but also scored nine of the last 12 points to win in five sets (-16, 21-25, 22-25, -12, -12).
 
To improve to 23-3 (9-2), the Lopers had to come back from a 9-6 deficit in the final set. Senior outside Ashley Leitner (Lincoln SW) had three of her 19 kills in a closing 9-3 run with freshman middle Bailey Sokolowski (Kearney Catholic) recording two of her seven kills in this stretch. 
 
This pair also combined on a block that made the score 14-10. Senior middle Katie Sokolowski (Kearney Catholic) then finished the match with her 11th kill of the night.
 
After winning the first set with relative ease, UNK trailed for much of the second and third sets. The Lopers got off the mat by hitting .406 (17-4-32) in the fourth set to tie things up at two apiece.
 
Pitt (14-12, 4-7) came in having won eight of its last nine matches. However, one of the top hitters in the MIAA, Crystal Whitten (3.72 kills per set), not only didn't play tonight but she also isn't listed on the PSU roster anymore.
 
In Whitten's absence, Madison Mosier had 16 kills and hit .289 with Abbie Smith (12) and Haylee Gregory (10) also reaching double digits in kills and hitting over .250.
 
For Kearney, Kansas sophomore MJ Massanet had 22 kills and 14 digs with Leitner hitting a team-best .385 en route to her kill total. The Lopers had eight team blocks, with the Sokolowski sisters combining for seven.
 
Finally, junior libero Liz McGowan (GI Central Catholic) had 17 digs with sophomore setter Erin Seele (Johnstown, Colo.) at a team-best 18.
 
UNK is at Central Oklahoma Saturday night.