UNK Volleyball Drops Washburn In Five

 The fifth-ranked Nebraska Kearney volleyball team scored the first five and the last five points of the fifth set to get past 26th-ranked Washburn (-23-25, -21, -23, 19-25, -12) Friday night in Topeka.

The Lopers (25-1, 12-1) earn their first win at Lee Arena since 2019 and sweep the season series from the Ichabods (18-5, 0-4).

Washburn had nine more kills, 12 more digs, hit 17 points higher and registered 11 blocks but UNK closed strong in three different sets. In the fifth, they jumped out to a 5-0 lead on the strength of four kills and a 'Bods unforced attack error. It was still a five-point lead, 10-5, when senior DS Madie Steiner went back to serve. She promptly served up seven straight to give WU a 12-10 lead. During this stretch, Steiner had two aces with the Lopers committing two unforced errors.

However, senior outside Asha Regier (Newton, Kan.) stemmed the tide with a kill and then UNK won a video challenge on a WU attack error. With redshirt sophomore DS Lexi Stephens (Ankeny, Ia.) serving, the Lopers closed things out with thanks to two kills from junior outside Emilee Lane (Hays, Kan.) and one by junior middle Abby Rose (Lindsborg, Kan.).

In set two, it was all tied up at 21 when UNK went on a 4-0 run to tie the match up. Graduate right side Lauren Taubenheim (Lincoln Pius) served up an ace with sophomore middle Mia Berg (Eureka, Mo.) and junior setter Peyton Neff (North Platte) having solo blocks. In the third, UNK used a 3-0 spurt to make it 24-20. The stretch included another Berg solo stuff and a Regier kill.

Lane had a team-high 18 kills with Regier and Berg recording 13 apiece. Lane and Regier both had over 55 attempts with Rose hitting an efficient .316 (9-1-19). Defensively, the Lopers had 11 blocks with Berg at four and two others at three apiece. In the backrow, graduate libero Alli Wiese (Mattawan, Mich.) had 29 digs.

Washburn was led by freshman outside Emery Keebaugh (17 kills, .318 pct., seven digs), middle Alex Dvorak (14 kills, .458 pct.) and libero Taylor Rottinghaus (40 digs).

UNK is at Emporia State Saturday night. The Hornets (16-7, 8-5) beat Fort Hays State in four in their Friday match.