Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The 7th-ranked Washburn volleyball team won three close sets to get past 14th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney (-23, -24, -19) Friday night in Topeka, Kans.
 
The Ichabods remain perfect in 2015 (13-0, 2-0) with the Lopers falling to 11-3 (1-1).
 
UNK was hoping to pick up its third win at Lee Arena in four tries. However, Washburn hit nearly 100 points higher, .215 to .125, than the Lopers in a match that featured 40 ties and 15 lead changes.
 
In set one, a kill from sophomore outside Kaitlynn Thomas (Yutan) tied things up at 21. However, two Washburn kills and an unforced error put WU at set point. UNK scored two straight, forcing WU to call timeout, but a kill from Elkhorn native Leanna Willer closed things out.
 
Another back and forth set followed with Kearney grabbing a 23-22 advantage on a kill by junior outside Skyler Erickson (Greeley). Washburn scored the next two and then reached set point on a Willer kill. An unforced Loper error made it 2-0 Ichabods.
 
UNK had leads of 14-13 and 17-15 in the final set but Washburn closed on an 8-2 run to take the match. Overall, the 'Bods had six more kills, 49-43 and three more digs, 77-74. Both clubs had five team blocks and neither recorded an ace.
 
Junior middle Sarah Vicory led Washburn with 12 kills and a .500 hitting efficiency. She also had two blocks and three digs. On the outside, Willer had 16 kills, 15 digs and hit .185.
 
For the Lopers, Thomas tallied a team-best 12 kills and added five digs on defense. Next, sophomore middle Tara Ziegelbein had eight kills, three blocks and hit .389 with freshman libero Ellie McDonnell (Papillion) digging up 18 balls.
 
UNK is at Emporia State (6-5, 1-1) Saturday night.