Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Four players had double digit kill totals to help 6th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney get past a pesky Southwest Baptist squad in four sets (-13, 23-25, -16, -19) Saturday afternoon at the Health & Sports Center.

With the win, the Lopers (21-2, 13-2) are still tied for first place in the MIAA. Meanwhile, an improving SBU club falls to 8-15 (3-12).

UNK had big advantages in kills, 60-40, and digs, 74-48, but the 'Cats rallied to win the second set and were poised to win the fourth.

A kill by Paton White gave SBU a 16-15 lead in the fourth set. However, UNK closed out the match on a 10-3 run that featured three kills from junior right side Kelle Carver (Shawnee Mission, kans.) and a block by Carver and sophomore middle Bailey Sokolowski (Kearney Catholic).

Hitting .058 as a team, SBU managed to tie the match at one by rallying from deficits of 21-18 and 23-21 in the second set. Two aces and a kill from Kalyn Sotomayor highlighted a 4-0 spurt.

Carver finished with 13 kills, five blocks and a .478 hitting efficiency with Sokolowski using a series of dinks and tips to have 13 kills and hit .360. On the outside, freshman Caitlin Broadwell (Lawrence, Kans.) had 13 kills with freshman LaRose Currie (Vail, Colo.) at 10 kills and 12 digs.

In the backrow, senior libero Liz McGowan (G.I. Central Catholic) had a match-high 22 digs with and junior Annie Wolfe (Omaha Marian) getting to 16 balls.

Sotomayor paced the Bearcats with 11 kills, three blocks, three digs and two aces.

UNK is at Fort Hays State Tuesday night.