Kearney, Neb. – The 11th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team heads to Warrensburg, Mo., this weekend needing two more wins to repeat as MIAA Tournament Champions.

The Lopers (27-5) take on 8th-ranked Washburn Friday night at 5:00 p.m. in one semifinal match. The other side of the bracket has Central Oklahoma facing 5th-ranked Central Missouri.

Saturday's title tilt is set for seven. Fans not making the trip can listen to the action on KGFW AM 1340 (just an on-line broadcast Saturday night) or watch via America One. The live stat link can be found HERE.

UNK has dropped two five setters to the Ichabods (31-4) this fall. Ironically, the Lopers beat Washburn in five sets in the 2012 regular season finale in Topeka.

As a team, Washburn is hitting .194 against Kearney while holding the Lopers to a .168 effort. The 'Bods have registered almost 15 more blocks, 29-14.5, but are slightly behind in digs and aces.

Individually, six-foot junior Marissa Cox has tormented UNK, averaging 3.90 kills and 1.30 blocks per set while hit­ting .284.

Six-one freshman Sarah Vicory (1.10) and 6-0 redshirt freshman Hannah Frierdich (1.30) also have double digit block totals against the Lopers. Finally, senior libero Kelsey Lewis has provided four aces and 3.70 digs per set in the two wins over UNK.
 
In Tuesday's hard fought win over Missouri Western State, the Lopers turned to senior Katie Sokolowski (Kearney Catholic) to carry the offense. The 2013 first-team All-MIAA honoree did just that, having seven kills in the first set alone and hitting .429 for the match.
 
Currently with 969 career kills, Sokolowski has registered a double digit kill total in eight straight matches. As usually, she is very efficient, hitting .314 on the fall.
 
Regardless of how things turn out in Warrensburg, UNK will return home and await word from the NCAA. On Sunday night (time TBA), the 64-field for this year's national tournament will be relieved.
 
Kearney is currently sitting seventh in the uber-tough Central Region.