Kearney, Neb. – Middle blockers Bailee Sterling and Anna Squiers combined for 38 kills to help the Nebraska-Kearney Blue team take all five sets over the UNK White squad (-16, -21, -17, -23, -15) Friday night at the Health & Sports Center.

This was the first of four public instrasquad scrimmages for the Lopers. The next scheduled one comes on Halloween afternoon (2 p.m.).

"We're really encouraged by what we're seeing. We can put two really good squads out there," UNK head coach Rick Squiers said. "I was not sure how the match would go. We've seen enough battles in practice that I thought either side would have a chance to win sets. It turned out only one did."

The UNK Blue team registered 12 more kills than the White team while also hitting 200 points higher and serving up eight aces. Sterling (Kearney H.S.) was the star of the night, having a match-best 20 kills in 38 swings (.500 pct.) with Squiers (Kearney Catholic H.S.) at 18 kills, a match-high nine blocks and a .333 hitting efficiency.

"I thought the middles would battle each other like they did. Tonight it was the Blue side middles that statistically ended up on top but it depends on the day in our gym. We've seen it go the other way too," Squiers said.

All five sets were relatively close with the match featuring 25 ties and 10 lead changes. The White team was paced by Johnson redshirt freshman Fallon Stutheit (14 kills, six digs, and three blocks), North Platte redshirt sophomore outside Sami Mauch (12 kills and 24 digs) and Stuart senior libero Monique Schafer (39 digs).

"Our serve and pass was pretty darn good, both sides played hard on defense … it was hard to get a kill," Squiers said. "All in all we can't wait to play somebody else -- whenever that date comes – because I think we have a chance to be pretty good."

Also on the Blue team, Lincoln senior libero Lindsay Nottlemann dug up a match-high 45 balls, Omaha senior right side Mary Katherine Wolfe had 12 kills and 16 digs in just three sets with Minden freshman Jensen Rowse at 23 digs, nine kills, three aces and three blocks. Finally, Henderson freshman setter Rhianna Wilhelm dished out 25 assists and had nine digs over the final three sets.

The Lopers will have nine practices plus some sand workouts before the Halloween battle.

"There's always a reason to practice. You're out here watching individual players and you jot a few notes down. You might see a thing or two with this person that we need to go back and work on," Squiers said. "We'll also get a chance to go watch the film and breaks some things down."