Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Kearney, Neb. – Junior newcomer Kelle Carver had 16 kills and sophomore middle Bailey Sokolowski hit .625 to power the ninth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team to a sweep of 21st-ranked Northern State (-22, -16, -21) Saturday night at the Health & Sports Center.

The match was part of the New Victorian Inn & Suites/Runza Classic. Earlier in the day, UNK (4-0) swept South Dakota Mines (-15, -15, -20).

The Wolves (3-1), from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, hit just .246 with Kearney at a sizzling .430. The Lopers also limited Preseason NSIC Player of the Year Kelsey Chambers to eight kills in 24 swings.

UNK jumped out to a 10-7 lead in the first set after an ace by Colorado junior setter Erin Seele. The advantage grew to seven, 20-13, on a kill by Carver (Shawnee Mission, Kans.), a right side hitter.

NSU did reel off three straight to make it 24-22 but one of Sokolowski's 11 kills gave the Lopers a 1-0 match lead.

A Sokolowski kill broke a four all tie in the second set and then sophomore libero Kadie Baumgardner (Auburn, Kans.) served up three straight points to make it 8-5. NSU didn't get closer than two points the rest of the set with two kills by senior outside Liz McGowan (G.I. Central Catholic) finishing off the Wolves.

Having 17 kills in each set, UNK controlled the third much like had the first two sets. The Lopers made it 13-8 on a kill by Carver, forcing Northern to call timeout. Kearney's last three points came on kills by Carver, Sokolowski and McGowan.

Carver reached her kill total in only 24 swings and hit .542 while providing two blocks on defense. Sokolowski had just one error in 16 attempts with sophomore outside Kinslie TeKolste (Lincoln SE) also having 11 kills and hitting .526.

Next, McGowan had eight kills and a team-best 12 digs with Seele at 43 assists, 11 digs, an ace, a block and a kill.

Lincoln native Cari McGarvie paced NSU with nine kills, four blocks and a .333 hitting efficiency.

Against Mines, Carver, McGowan and TeKolste each had 11 kills with Sokolowski having five kills in eight swings with no errors (.625). The Lopers hit .367 as a team and registered 7.0 team blocks.

An all-tournament team will be announced on Monday. UNK heads to Colorado next weekend.

Other Saturday Tournament Scores
# 21 Northern State 3, Western State 0 (-15, -16, -21)
Newman 3, South Dakota Mines 2 (-22, 23-25, 25-27, -22, -10)
Newman 3, Western State 1 (-18, 26-28, -16, -21)