Kearney, Neb. – Another week, another road trip for the now 16th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team.
The Lopers (12-3, 2-1) head to Lindenwood on Friday and then visit No. 13 Central Missouri on Saturday. Both matches are set to begin at 7:00 p.m. Check the
Loper schedule page for media links.
The LWU Lions (8-4, 1-1) were swept by No. 14 Central Oklahoma last weekend and then fell to crosstown rival Missouri-St. Louis in four sets on Tuesday.
St. Charles hasn't been an easy place for UNK to play. The Lopers lost to the Lions in four sets in 2013 while needing to win a fourth set, 29-27, last fall to escape in four. In that match, Lindenwood had 13.0 team blocks.
A balanced Lindenwood attack features five different players averaging over 2.00 kills per set. Six-foot freshman outside Bailey Dvorak (3.07) leads the way with junior middle Sarah Makowski at 2.43 kps and a team-best 0.98 blocks per set. She didn't play in either match against UNK last fall but had 10 kills and eight blocks in the 2013 upset.
Finally, senior Sarah-Jane Pavlik ranks second (11.13) in the MIAA in assists, trailing UNK freshman
Lindsey Smith (11.48).
UCM (13-2, 1-1) lost at UCO last weekend and was then taken to five sets by winless Pittsburg State. The Jennies entered the week leading the MIAA in kills (14.59), assists (13.13) and opponent kills (10.33).
At Fort Hays State on Friday, UCM has been a thorn in UNK's side of late. Led by All-American outside Carly Sojka (4.26 kills and 2.56 digs per set), the Jennies have won five straight over the Lopers, three coming in five sets. Sojka averaged 4.8 kills per set in those wins, having efforts of 21 and 26 kills, respectively.
Junior middle Maddie Jones (2.85 kills and 0.46 blocks per set) and senior libero Anna Reilly (5.30 digs per set) are two other Jennies to watch.
Besides her assist work, Smith (Dakota Dunes, S.D.) is averaging 2.16 digs, 0.89 kills and 0.39 blocks per set in her first year as a starter. The Loper offense is averaging 13.73 kps, fourth best in the MIAA, and hitting .220.
Of late, junior
Skyler Erickson (Greeley) and
Kaitlynn Thomas (Yutan) have provided pop from the outside as has sophomore
Tara Ziegelbein (Lincoln Lutheran H.S.) in the middle. On the right, steady
Annie Wolfe (Omaha Marian H.S.) is hitting a team-high .324 while ranking second in assists, digs and kills, third in aces and fourth in blocks.
UNK has three home matches next week before another road swing. The FHSU Tigers visit Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
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