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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Team Celebrate
Matthew Hicks/MSH Photography
0
Mo. Southern St. MSSU 13-18,6-14 Mid-America Intercollegiate
3
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNK 31-0,20-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Mo. Southern St. MSSU
13-18,6-14 Mid-America Intercollegiate
0
Final
3
Neb.-Kearney UNK
31-0,20-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Mo. Southern St. MSSU 11 14 15 (0)
Neb.-Kearney UNK 25 25 25 (3)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

Fast Start, Fast End Equals Semifinal Appearance

Loper Press Conference with head coach Rick Squiers & senior outside Julianne Jackson

Kearney, Neb. – The second-ranked Nebraska-Kearney volleyball team hit .306 and got big performances from true freshman Michaela Bartels and Kamryn Schuler to sweep Missouri Southern State (-11, -14, -15) in an MIAA Tournament first round match Thursday in Kansas City.

The top-seeded Lopers (31-0) advance to Friday's quarterfinals where they'll face the winner of tonight's late match, Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western State, at 5 p.m.

"Start to finish I thought we were really solid. We had that one little glitch there in the third set where we kind had a mini-issue. But we recovered quickly," UNK head coach Rick Squiers told KRVN's Jayson Jorgensen. "I thought it would be a high tension match because you are supposed to win, you're a one seed. Plus on top of it Missouri Southern is hard to play against."

To sweep the Lions (13-18) for the third time this fall, UNK scored the first four points of the match and the closed the night on a 13-3 run. Overall the Lopers out hit MSSU by over 250 points, served up six aces and had 22 more digs.

"I figured it would be one of those matches you had to get ahold of early. We got off to that really nice start which was helpful. The second set went like I thought it might ... back and forth for 10 or 12 points and then we pulled away. I was not expecting us to dig a big hole in the third but we got out of it," Squiers said. 

Bartels (Bennington) had one of her best matches of the season, tallying 15 kills in 23 attempts (.652 pct.) with no errors. This marked her fourth double digit kill total of the fall with her effort falling a kill shy of her season-high (16, vs. NW Missouri, 11/1/19). The second-team All-MIAA middle also had three blocks. Kam Schuler

From the outside Schuler started the night with a kill and finished up with 10 in 31 swings (.293). UNK got off to a tough start in the third set, trailing 5-1, 9-2 and 10-8 before tying things up at 12. A 6-0 spurt featured four kills, three by Schuler

"They were fantastic. Sometimes when you're a freshman you don't know any better and you just go play volleyball. So you're clear headed and focused and the distractions don't bother you. Both of them were fearless," Squiers said.

That big run also featured back-to-back aces from junior setter Madison Squiers (Kearney Catholic) who had 44 assists, 20 digs and three kills in five attempts. Finally sophomore libero Lindsay Nottlemann (Lincoln Pius X) had 27 digs with MIAA Co-Player of the Year Julianne Jackson (Bonner Springs, Kan.) providing 16 digs, nine kills and two aces in her return home.

Mo Southern was paced by Janelle Brehm with 17 digs and 10 kills.
 
 
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