Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The third-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team used 16 different players and served up a season-high 12 aces to sweep Missouri Southern State (-11, -12, -16) Saturday morning in Joplin.
With the win, the Lopers (32-1, 17-1) secure the 2016 MIAA regular season title. UNK also won an outright title in 2012 and shared the crown in 2014. Kearney will be the top seed in the eight-team MIAA Tournament next week. The field will be announced later tonight.
Today, UNK hit just .226 (43-22-93) but were plus 13 in the serve game, dug up 15 more balls and held the Lions to a negative .014 percentage (15-16-73).
From the back line, sophomore setter
Lindsey Smith (Dakota Dunes, S.D.) had five aces, freshman outside hitter
Julianne Jackson (Bonner Springs, Kans.) served up four with sophomore libero
Ellie McDonnell (Papillion) recording three. Earlier this year in a win over the Lions (6-25, 3-15), UNK had 11 aces.
Offensively, seven different Lopers were between three and nine kills. Omaha right side
Annie Wolfe led the way and also provided eight digs, four assists and two blocks. Next, Lincoln junior middle
Tara Ziegelbein had six kills and hit .545 with North Platte freshman middle
Josie Cox at three kills and two digs.
MSSU did record 10.0 team blocks and were led by Alicia Pickett (six blocks and one kill).
