Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Senior outside Ashley Leitner continues to have a hot hand and led the 3rd-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team to a sweep of Hastings College (-18, 23, -15) Tuesday night at the Health & Sports Center.
 
The MVP of the UNK Fall Classic this past weekend, Leitner (Lincoln SW) recorded 18 kills, half of the Lopers total, while also supplying 11 digs.  So far in 2013, Leitner is averaging 4.67 kills per set and hitting a robust .335.
 
UNK broke a nine all tie in the first set with a 10-2 run that featured five kills by Leitner, two unforced Bronco errors and a block by junior right side Molly O'Brien (Overland Park, Kans.) and freshman middle Bailey Sokolowski (Kearney Catholic H.S.).
 
Kearney kept the momentum going in the second set as freshman outside Kinslie TeKolste (Lincoln SE) served up eight straight points for an 8-0 lead. The run included five unforced Hastings errors as well as a solo block by senior middle Ellie Pesavento (Omaha Marian).
 
But, the pesky Broncos more than fought back, using a 20-12 run to close within two after back-to-back kills by Kalynn Dahlke. A TeKolste kill put the Loper lead to three but another Dahlke kill, and an unforced UNK error, made it a 23-22 score.
 
UNK got a kill from Pesavento and Hastings hit one long to make it a 2-0 match lead for the home team. On the night, the Broncos hit just .076 (38-28-131) with the Lopers recording only five team blocks.
 
Besides Leitner, O'Brien dug up a team-high 18 balls with junior libero Liz McGowan (G.I. Central Catholic) had 12 digs and two aces. Dahlke led the Broncos with 19 kills, nine digs and two blocks.
 
The Lopers face 11th-ranked Angelo State (Texas) and former RMAC rival Metro State Friday at the Colorado Premier Challenge in Denver.