The fourth-ranked Nebraska Kearney volleyball team hit .287 and recorded seven blocks and 67 digs to sweep Drury (Mo.) University (-22, -15, -22) Saturday morning in Warrensburg, Mo.
The Lopers (12-0) went 2-0 on a quick weekend trip to Missouri and now get ready for MIAA play. Next weekend, they return to Warrensburg to face Central Missouri and also visit Missouri Southern.
The DU Panthers (6-4) lost to 23rd-ranked UCM in four sets on Friday night and finished today’s match hitting .172 with eight blocks. The match featured 16 ties and five lead changes, mainly coming in the opening set.
UNK broke a 17-17 tie with a 3-0 run thanks to a block from outside hitter Emilee Lane (Hays, Kan.) and middle Mia Berg (Eureka, MO.), a Panthers attack error and ace from defensive specialist Aleena Peterson (Kansas City). While DU got with one point on two occasions, UNK closed out the set after a Berg kill.
The Lopers hit .324 (16-4-37) to roll in the second set and then smashed home 19 kills in third. Drury almost rallied from a 19-11 hole, getting within 21-20, but a 4-2 UNK closing spurt featured three kills by outside Asha Regier (Newton, Kan.).
Regier hit .310 and had a team-best 14 kills with Lane at 13 and freshman reserve right side Brynn Stowell (Olathe, Kan.) providing eight in just nine swings. Next, Berg had seven kills and three blocks with Peterson and libero Alli Wiese (Mattawan, Mich.) at 15 kills apiece. Finally, setter Peyton Neff (North Platte) tallied 42 assists, 10 digs, an ace and kill.
Junior outside Mailie Chretien (13 kills, 15 digs) paced the Panthers.
