Kearney, Neb. – The now fourth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team has its toughest weekend to date as it faces No. 13 Central Missouri and No. 10 Northwest Missouri State on the road this weekend.

UNK (13-0, 4-0) is 3-0 in true road matches in 2019 including a four-set exhibition win at Wyoming. The Lopers face UCM (9-4, 3-1) Friday at 6 p.m. and Northwest (11-1, 4-0) Saturday at 3 p.m. Check the volleyball schedule page for media links.

The Lopers have had the Jennies number of late, taking the last seven matches between the two. UCM's last win over UNK came back in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. Kearney now has a slim 13-12 all-time series lead between the two.

Northwest, having to replace 2018 MIAA Player of the Year Maddy Bruder, has zoomed up to its highest national ranking in program history. The Bearcats are 2-19 all-time vs. UNK but lost two five-set matches to the Lopers last year and dropped another one in 2016.  

The 'Cats are just 1-0 in Marvyille this fall, having played seven neutral site matches and going 3-1 on the road. They face Fort Hays (6-7, 2-3) on Friday.

UNK enters October ranked third in NCAA Division II in digs per set (20.1). A pair of Southern schools, Mars Hill (21.0) and South Carolina-Aiken (20.4), are just ahead of the Lopers.

Five players are averaging at least 2.4 digs per set led by Lincoln sophomore Lindsay Nottlemann (5.1) and Kansas senior outside Julianne Jackson (3.5). Now 24th on the career digs list with 1,122, Jackson also paces the squad in kills per set (2.8) while hitting a solid .270. As a team UNK comes in at .265 with 13.9 kills per set. The Lopers have hit below .200 only once this year and have managed at least 38 kills in every match.

UNK has a quick turnaround as it hosts the rival FHSU Tigers Tuesday at 6 p.m.