"> #7 UNK Keeps Set Streak Alive Against Sturdy Gorillas - University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics
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University of Nebraska - Kearney Athletics

Julia Davenport
Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications
0
Pittsburg St. PittSt 11-4,0-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
3
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNK 15-1,4-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Pittsburg St. PittSt
11-4,0-3 Mid-America Intercollegiate
0
Final
3
Neb.-Kearney UNK
15-1,4-0 Mid-America Intercollegiate
Winner
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 F
Pittsburg St. PittSt 21 22 23 (0)
Neb.-Kearney UNK 25 25 25 (3)

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Game Recap: Volleyball |

#7 UNK Keeps Set Streak Alive Against Sturdy Gorillas

Kearney, Neb. – The seventh-ranked Nebraska Kearney volleyball team got double digit kill totals from right side Brynn Stowell and outside
Carly Purdy to sweep a game Pittsburg State squad (-21, -22, -23) Saturday night at the Health & Sports Center.

The Lopers (15-1, 4-0) push their consecutive set win streak to 45 while an improving Pitt drops to 11-4 (0-3). This is the only meeting between the two this season.

Pitt dropped five setters to both 17th-ranked Emporia State and Fort Hays State recently and pushed the Lopers in each set tonight. However, Stowell (Olathe, Kan.) and Purdy (North Platte) were there to answer the bell when needed as UNK overcame a .183 hitting night.

"I had a lot of concerns about this one because it was a difficult match up. Emporia tries to beat you with offense, and they don't really care if you score. So, we were able to hit .400 last night. I just knew we weren't going to be able to do that against these guys," said Loper head coach Rick Squiers. "They are too good at the net, they block everything. They have a go-to hitter that everybody in the gym knows who is getting the ball and you still can't stop her half the time."

UNK hit that .183 mark, but PSU was 22 points lower, was aced eight times and committed two more service errors. Stowell had a team-best 12 kills, Purdy (North Platte) supplied 10 with fellow outside Grace Schmedding (Olathe, Kan.) at nine as well as a .316 efficiency and 12 digs.

"The best version of how I hoped it would go was like hang in there and beat them in the end kind of a match," said Squiers. "We did some things that we haven't been doing. We made a few mistakes at the end that gave away a few points but got lucky there."

In the middle, redshirt junior Sydney Davis (Danneborg) hit .538, had eight kills and two blocks with redshirt freshman Sophia Thompson (Beloit, Kan.) at three stuffs and three kills. Finally, in the backrow, libero Ellie Spang (Ft. Wayne, Ind.) got to 15 balls and had one of the eight aces.

"Grace was great at the end of sets. When it seemed like no one else could get a kill, she seemed to have another tool she could go to. Throwing one to the corner, throwing one off the blocker's hands. And the she rips a ball on match point," said Squiers.

Pitt also had a balanced attack as four different players were at eight kills, including Maliyah Johnson. The Gorillas recorded 14 team blocks, with Kennedy Behnke at nine.

UNK hosts Arkansas-Ft. Smith on Wednesday as part of "Homecoming" Week.
 
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Players Mentioned

Sydney Davis

#16 Sydney Davis

MB
6' 0"
4th Year
Carly Purdy

#14 Carly Purdy

OH
6' 0"
4th Year
Ellie Spang

#4 Ellie Spang

DS/L
5' 6"
4th Year
Brynn Stowell

#10 Brynn Stowell

OH
6' 5"
3rd Year
Grace Schmedding

#9 Grace Schmedding

OH
5' 11"
3rd Year
Sophia Thompson

#19 Sophia Thompson

MB
6' 1"
2nd Year

Players Mentioned

Sydney Davis

#16 Sydney Davis

6' 0"
4th Year
MB
Carly Purdy

#14 Carly Purdy

6' 0"
4th Year
OH
Ellie Spang

#4 Ellie Spang

5' 6"
4th Year
DS/L
Brynn Stowell

#10 Brynn Stowell

6' 5"
3rd Year
OH
Grace Schmedding

#9 Grace Schmedding

5' 11"
3rd Year
OH
Sophia Thompson

#19 Sophia Thompson

6' 1"
2nd Year
MB