Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Sophomore outside hitter Kinslie TeKolste had 13 kills and the 5th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team won a couple of close sets to sweep Emporia State (-9, -23, -21) Tuesday night at the Health & Sports Center.

UNK improves to 11-1 (4-0) while the Hornets drop to 4-5 (0-4).

The Lopers breezed through set one as they had 12 kills and hit .524 with Emporia having nine unforced hitter errors as well as three reception errors.

Things were a lot different over the final two sets as they were a combined 21 ties and eight lead changes. UNK managed to win both to improve to 12-5 in sets decided by five points or less.

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The back and forth second set saw the Lopers fall behind 21-20 after two unforced hitting errors. Running low on substitutions, senior defensive specialist Liz McGowan (G.I. Central Catholic) remained on the court and provided all three of her kills as UNK closed on a 5-2 run.

McGowan has started several matches on the outside this year and currently averages 2.05 kills per set.

Emporia hung around in the third set, tying the match at 19 after an unforced Kearney error. However, the Lopers closed on a 6-2 run that featured two kills by junior setter Erin Seele (Johnstown, Colo.), one by TeKolste (Lincoln SE) and one from freshman outside LaRose Currie (Vail, Colo.).

Hitting .233 but holding ESU to a .095 effort, the Lopers served up six aces and had no reception errors. Freshman middle Tara Ziegelbein (Lincoln Lutheran) registered the team's only block, a solo effort late in the third set

TeKolste, hitting .286, now leads the team in kills on the season at 3.22 per set. Both Currie and junior right side Kelle Carver (Shawnee Mission, Kans.) had eight kills with junior libero MJ Massanet (Manhattan, Kans.) digging up 13 balls.

She needs 12 more to become just the 27th Loper with 1,000 in a career.

Finally, sophomore DS Kadie Baumgardner (Auburn, Kans.) had two aces and three digs.

UNK is at Pittsburg State Friday night and Southwest Baptist Saturday afternoon.