Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The 5th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team scored seven of the final eight points to take the fifth set from Azusa Pacific, 15-11, Friday afternoon at the Spring Hill Suites Invitational in Anchorage, Alaska.
 
This was the season opener for both teams. UNK faces 28th-ranked Alaska-Anchorage later today at 10:00 p.m. Central.
 
Things didn't appear good early on for the Lopers as they dropped the first set by a 25-14 score. However, UNK rebounded to take the next two sets by scores of 25-17 and 25-18. In each, Kearney led throughout.
 
The Cougars, a new Division II school from Southern California, responded by leading most of the fourth set. UNK stormed back, erasing an 18-13 deficit thanks to a 10-4 run to make it 23-22.
 
APU forced a fifth set thanks to a kill and back-to-back unforced Loper hitting errors. The Cougs then held leads of 6-3, 8-5 and 10-8 in the decisive fifth set.
 
UNK's comeback started with an APU service ace. The Cougars then hit one long and a kill from sophomore Tara Ziegelbein (Lincoln Lutheran H.S.) made it 11-10.
 
Ziegelbein and sophomore outside Kaitlynn Thomas (Yutan) then teamed up for a block, forcing Azusa to call time out. The short break didn't help as Ziegelbein had two more blocks to make it 14-10. Fittingly, she recorded her ninth and final kill of the match to give UNK the win.
 
UNK had 10 more kills than APU, 57-47, but also had six more hitting errors and three more service errors, 12-9. Both teams hit below .130, APU at .121 and UNK at .127.
 
Thomas and fellow outside Connar Newberry (McKinney, Texas) combined for 27 kills with junior right side Annie Wolfe (Omaha Marian H.S.) having 10 and junior middle Bailey Sokolowski (Kearney Catholic H.S.) recording nine. 
 
At the net, Ziegelbein had a team-high eight blocks (two solo) with Wolfe having five. In the backrow, junior newcomer Skyler Erickson (Greeley) had a team-high 22 digs with senior setter Erin Seele supplying 16. Finally, Seele (Johnstown, Colo.) and Erickson each served up two aces.
 
Like Kearney, APU had a balanced offensive attack with five players between seven and nine kills.