Kearney, Neb. – For the first time in nine years, the Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team will play a match in Alaska as the Lopers are part of the Spring Hill Suites Invitational this Friday and Saturday in Anchorage.
Back in 2001, the Lopers went 4-0 at the University of Alaska at Anchorage Tournament, beating the host Seawolves twice. Five years later, UNK ventured further North, going 2-1 in the Nanook Classic hosted by the University of Alaska at Fairbanks.
The Lopers, fifth-ranked nationally, have a tougher road to hoe this time, facing 23rd-ranked Rockhurst, 28th-ranked and host UAA, Cal Poly Pomona (15-10 in 2014) and Division II newcomer Azusa Pacific from California (14-15 in 2014).
Check the
Loper schedule page for times (Central), live stats and live video. Due to the tournament format, start times may be pushed back.
Head coach
Rick Squiers, 507-72 in 16 years as Loper head coach, has a young roster in 2015, one with six true freshmen and three transfers. A lot of these newcomers will be in the main rotation at some point this weekend.
One of UNK's two seniors, right side
Kelle Carver (Shawnee Mission, Kans.), won't be able to go this weekend due to injury but is expected back soon. The other senior,
Erin Seele (Johnstown, Colo.), will likely divide her time between setter and outside or right side hitter. The 2014 first-team All-MIAA pick has 230 career kills to go along with 2,679 career assists.
When or if Seele isn't running the show, 2014 AVCA High School All-American
Lindsey Smith (Dakota Dunes, SD) will be. She'll be the first Loper true freshmen to start at setter since Cola Svec in 2007.
Things are more normal in the middle where 2014 All-MIAA picks
Bailey Sokolowski (Kearney Catholic) and
Tara Ziegelbein (Lincoln Lutheran) return. Next to them on the right or left will likely be junior
Annie Wolfe (Omaha Marian), who played more on offense at the end of last season. She has been a consistent server and passer over her first two years.
Finally, on the left side, sophomore
Kaitlynn Thomas (Ashland-Greenwood) has the most experience. Like Wolfe, she was hot down the stretch last fall, having 43 kills over the final five matches.
The host Seawolves come into the tournament after a 21-6 campaign that saw them go 15-3 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
A roster of 12 features three seniors and three juniors, including 5-9 Anchorage native Katelynn Zanders. She averaged a solid 3.44 kills per set in 2014 and is one of six Anchorage natives on the team.
On Saturday, the win total between Squiers and RU head man Tracy Rietzke will be a combined 1,933. The Lopers and Hawks have met a few times the past 16 years, the last coming in 2009, a 3-0 UNK win in Kearney.
Rockhurst was 28-5 last fall, losing to Grand Valley State in the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Regional final. A 20-playe roster includes All-American middle Preecy Seever (3.45 kills and 1.26 block per set) and All-American outside Morgan Rietzke (3.14 kps), the daughter of Tracy.
UNK will be busy next weekend, playing five matches in three days. The string of home matches begins Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. vs. the Illinois-Springfield Prairie Stars.
