Kearney, Neb. – The fifth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team hosts Pittsburg State and 10th-ranked Central Oklahoma this weekend, the only matches against the Gorillas and Bronchos this year.

Both MIAA matches will be at 7:00 p.m. Check the Loper schedule page for media links.

Pitt (4-15, 2-5) is led by first-year head coach Jen Gomez, who previously was head coach at RMAC-member Colorado State-Pueblo.

The Gorillas have some momentum heading to Kearney as they swept both Missouri Southern State and Southwest Baptist last weekend at home. They are 1-5 in true road matches this fall.

A large roster includes four seniors and four juniors. Six-foot senior Maggie Highberger (2.59 kills per set) and junior outside/right side Peyton Walker (2.46) lead the offense with senior libero Ashlen Schwartz digging up a team-best 3.75 balls per set. 

Finally, redshirt sophomore Carolina VanBuskirk (7.43 assists per set) and true freshman Kylie Farris (4.29) are the setters. Last fall, UNK swept Pitt in Kansas (-12, -14, -11).

UCO plays at Fort Hays State Friday night. The 'Chos are 20-1 (6-1) with the lone setback coming at No. 16 Central Missouri on September 23rd. The Mules had their senior setter that night; she didn't play in a 3-0 loss to UNK on October 1st.

Owning a 3-0 set win over No. 17 NW Missouri State, the defending MIAA Champions are led by sophomore outsides Taylor Bevis (3.67 kills and 3.03 digs per set) and Ijeoma Njenje (2.71 kills ps).

Second to UNK in both attack percentage (.270) and opponent hitting percentage (.098), UCO also features true freshman libero Dominique Lipari (4.46 dps) and senior setter Katy Davis (11.32 aps).

In 2015, UCO beat the Lopers in five sets (25-27, -15, 19-25, -22, -13) in Edmond and then bested Kearney in the NCAA Central Regional in Minnesota (-10, -19, -17).

Riding a 28-match home court winning streak, UNK (22-1, 7-1) currently ranks in the NCAA Division II top 10 in assists, blocks and kills per set as well as hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage.

Four Lopers average over 2.55 kills per set with four more between 1.00-1.85 kps. Defensively, Omaha senior right side Annie Wolfe recently became the 28th Loper with 1,000 digs in a career (now 1,039). Papillion sophomore libero Ellie McDonnell (859) will soon join her on the list.

At the net, middles Josie Cox (1.29), Mackenzie Puckett (1.07) and Tara Ziegelbein (1.00) lead in blocks per set with three Lopers have registered at least five solo stuffs.

Six of UNK's final eight regular season matches are on the road, starting next weekend at Lindenwood.