Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The third-seeded Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs closed on a 7-3 run to beat sixth-seeded Nebraska Kearney in five sets (-24, -17, 24-26, 21-25, -9) Friday afternoon at the NCAA Central Regional in Duluth, Minn.
 
Both teams are ranked fourth nationally. The Lopers end the fall at 27-4 while SMSU improves to 22-9 and will play Concordia-St. Paul Friday night. The seven-time defending national champs swept Washburn in Thursday's second match.

The post-match press conference will be available later tonight.
 
UNK was just points away from being swept, trailing 10-6 in the third set. After a big run allowed the Lopers to lead 20-15, the 'Stangs used one of its seven aces on the day to tie things at 24.
 
A kill from junior setter Erin Seele (Johnstown, Colo.) and an unforced SMSU error allowed the Lopers to stave off elimination.

 
After leading the fourth set from start to finish, UNK jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the fifth set on the strength of two unforced Southwest errors. However, the Mustangs scored seven of the next 10 points to never trail again.  
 
Southwest junior right side Abby Thissen was big in the final set, having four kills and no errors in eight attempts. Loper sophomore outside Kinslie TeKolste (Lincoln SE) had three kills in six attempts to almost keep pace.
 
UNK warmed up during the third set but still hit just .120 while SMSU came in at .182. The 'Stangs recorded seven more kills, 63-56, and four more blocks, 14-10.
 
Individually, sophomore middle Bailey Sokolowski (Kearney Catholic) had 10 kills and hit .259 with front court mate Katie Weber (Greeley, Colo.) at nine kills and a .238 percentage.
 
From the outside, Yutan freshman Kaitlynn Thomas provided 10 kills with junior right side Kelle Carver (Shawnee Mission, Kans.) at nine kills and three blocks. She suffered an injury midway through the fourth set and didn't return.
 
Next, freshman outside LaRose Currie (Vail, Colo.) and Sokolowski each had four blocks with senior libero Liz McGowan (G.I. Central Catholic) having 25 digs in her final appearance in a Loper uniform.
 
Southwest got 15 kills and five blocks from Thissen and 13 kills from both freshman middle Eisha Oden and junior outside Claire Sames. Sames had appeared in just 69 sets all season, registering 79 kills.
 
Oden, the NSIC Freshman of the Year, had a team-best six blocks with freshman setter Megan Larson serving up three aces.
 
Besides McGowan, UNK's other senior was right side Step Brand (G.I. Central Catholic)