Kearney, Neb. – The now third-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team has just one match this weekend, a Friday home tilt with Missouri Western State, before hosting fifth-ranked Washburn on Tuesday night.

UNK (16-, 7-0) is coming off a Tuesday home sweep of the rival Fort Hays State Tigers; check the volleyball schedule page for serve times this weekend as well as media links.

Kearney started the week ranked fourth nationally in digs per set (19.7), fifth in opponent attack percentage (.105) and 18th in attack percentage (.259). All those marks lead the MIAA with Washburn (13-1, 5-1) first in most of the other categories.

Only one team – Central Missouri (.254) – has hit above .235 against the Loper defense this fall. Three have failed to reach .000 with seven others not reaching .100.  On the other side of the net UNK has hit at least .300 in three different matches and gotten to .250 seven other times.

The most efficient hitters in the main rotation are middles Anna Squiers (.330) and Michaela Bartels (.290) with junior right side Mary Katherine Wolfe at .270. Defensively sophomore libero Lindsay Nottlemann (4.98), senior outside Julianne Jackson (3.37) and junior setter Madison Squiers (3.06) lead in digs per set.

UNK swept Missouri Western three times in 2018 to grab a 43-14 all-time series lead. The Lopers swept Ichabods (-19, -19, -20) back on September 21 in Topeka. Kearney now leads that series by a 39-14 margin.

The Lopers head to Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern State next weekend.