Box Score Kearney, Neb. - Senior outside hitter Ashley Leitner had a career-high 21 kills to lead the 6th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team to a win over South Dakota Mines (-18, -15, 20-25, -10) Friday night in Rapid City.
 
Playing a true road match for just the second time this season, the Lopers improve to 13-1 while the Hardrockers, a Division II independent, falls to 4-10.
 
Earlier this month in Kearney, UNK swept Mines. However, the young 'Rockers were coming off two wins in Florida and this was their home opener.
 
In the first set, the Lopers led by just a 14-13 score but used a 9-5 run to take a 1-0 match lead. The closing run was capped by back-to-back kills by Leitner and two kills by junior Liz McGowan (G.I. Central Catholic).
 
UNK controlled the second set, leading by scores of 11-5 and 17-8, but Mines roared back in the third set.  To win the set by five points, the 'Rockers erased an 8-5 deficit by recording 15 kills and hitting .448.
 
The Lopers made sure the match wouldn't go the distance as they jumped out to leads of 8-2 and 11-5 in the four set. Finishing with a season-best 62 kills, Kearney hit a solid .338 on the night and also saw the Sokolowski sisters, Katie (13) and Bailey (11), reach double digits in kills.
 
To reach her kill total, Leitner (Lincoln SW) swung 44 times and committed just six errors, good for a .341 efficiency. Her previous high in kills was 20, set September 14th in a four-set win over West Florida.
 
Defensively, Kansas sophomore libero MJ Massanet had 20 digs with McGowan adding 10. Finally, UNK served up a season-best nine aces, five coming from sophomore setter Erin Seele (Johnstown, Colo.).
 
The Lopers are off until next weekend when they travel to Emporia State (Friday) and nationally-ranked Washburn (Saturday).    
 
Match Stats: http://www.dakstats.com/Websync/Pages/WebcastPlayByPlay/WebcastPBP.aspx?association=58&sg=WVB&compID=93270&sea=TUCWVB_2013