Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The 13th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team used a balanced offensive attack and nine service aces to get past Southwest Baptist in four sets (-17, -8, 21-25, -10) Friday night in Bolivar, Mo.
 
UNK (22-5, 10-3) is now 5-4 in true road matches with SBU falling to 3-20 (1-11).
 
The Lopers saw six different players have between seven and 12 kills. Sophomore outside Kaitlynn Thomas (12) and junior right side Annie Wolfe (11) led the way as Kearney hit .281, over 200 points higher than the Bearcats.
 
Kearney pulled away in the first set, getting two late kills from sophomore middle Tara Ziegelbein (Lincoln Lutheran H.S.) to grab a 1-0 lead in the match. SBU then hit negative .107 (5-8-28) in the second set with four of those errors due to Loper blocks. UNK finished with 10.0 team stuffs, one more than SBU.
 
It was a battle between Wolfe and SBU senior outside Lori Angello in the third set as both had seven kills and no errors in 11 swings. A kill and a block from junior middle Kalyn Sotomayor broke a 15 all tie and the 'Cats never trailed again, closing on a 4-1 run.
 
The Lopers restored order by scoring 11 of the first 14 points in the fourth and final set.
 
Both Thomas (Ashland-Greenwood H.S.) and Wolfe (Omaha Marian H.S.) hit over .300 with senior setter Erin Seele (Johnstown, Colo.) at 37 assists, 11 digs, seven kills, three aces and a .600 attack percentage. Next, Ogallala freshman middle Kendall Schroer had seven kills and a team-best six blocks with Papillion freshman libero Ellie McDonnell at a team-high 15 digs.
 
Angello led SBU with nine kills and two blocks.
 
The Blue & Gold is at Missouri Southern State tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.