Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The 7th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team used 12 blocks and managed two close set wins to sweep 5th-ranked Washburn (-23, -24, -11) Tuesday night at the Health & Sports Center.
 
Both teams now have identical 17-2, 9-2 records. Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma and Missouri Western State also are tied for first with 9-2 marks.
 
Neither club was on top of their game over the first two sets. UNK managed a 2-0 match lead thanks to closing the first set on a 4-2 run and  scoring three straight to close out the second set.
 
After an eight minute intermission, UNK used its defense to dominate the third set. Five of the Lopers blocks came in this set with Washburn air mailing six other attempts. On the night, the 'Bods had 26 errors to just 13 for the Lopers.
 
The match featured 31 ties and 18 lead changes with the majority of those coming over the first two sets. In the first, UNK jumped out to a 5-1 lead but the Ichabods hung around, eventually moving ahead 22-21 on a kill from Carley Swan.
 
Junior right side Kelle Carver (Shawnee Mission, Kans.) used one of team-high 12 kills to tie things up and then Washburn star Marissa Cox hit one long to give the Lopers the lead back. Cox finished with three kills and eight errors for a -.217 percentage.
 
An ace from junior MJ Massanet (Manhattan, Kans.) allowed UNK to reach set point and then Carver closed things out with a kill.
 
The Lopers held an early lead in set two but Washburn got a kill from Elkhorn native Leanna Willer to move ahead 12-9. Kills from freshman Tara Ziegelbein (Lincoln Lutheran) and Caitlin Broadwell (Lawrence, Kans.) brought Kearney back, forcing Washburn to call timeout down 19-18.
 
The teams traded points before a block by Cox and Mattie-Ann Swenson made it 24-23 Washburn. However, the 'Bods hit three long to allow UNK to go up 2-0 in the match.
 
Ziegelbein and Carver combined for five blocks in the third set with the Lopers also recording 12 kills and a .478 attack percentage. UNK actually had one less kill in the match, 42-41, but hit well over 100 points higher, .243-.119.
 
Carver was efficient in reaching 12 kills, hitting .346, while providing four block assists at the net. In the middle, Ziegelbein had 10 kills, hit .368 and recorded a team-high seven blocks. 
 
Off the bench, Broadwell had seven kills with junior setter Erin Seele (Johnstown, Colo.) having 35 assists, 12 digs, three blocks and three kills in seven swings (team-best .429).
 
Willer had 16 kills and 12 digs to pace Washburn with Sarah Vicory at 11 kills and a .688 attack percentage.
 
UNK is at UCO Friday night at Missouri Southern State Saturday afternoon.