UNK volleyball’s strong block stymies Northwest Missouri
KEARNEY — What started with three consecutive blocks at the net turned into a total offensive collapse.
But not without a bump in the road.
The University of Nebraska at Kearney volleyball team improved to 16-0 (4-0 MIAA) with a 25-18, 23-25, 25-12, 25-15 victory over Northwest Missouri on Saturday afternoon.
The Lopers threw up a stone wall immediately with Mia Berg, Peyton Neff and Emily Lane sharing the duties in the double block.
"The early blocks were huge. ... Every team has all kinds of information about each other already, so we kind of know what they were going to do," UNK coach Rick Squiers said. "We got those three or four blocks right out of the chute, and I think it gets in a hitters head a little bit. Then the rest of the night, they're kind of wondering, 'Oh geez, can I hit that shot?.'
"I think that set the tone, gave us a little confidence and we kind of played from there."
That seed of doubt really struck the Bearcats (8-6, 2-2) after they won the second set. Withering in the face of the Loper defense, Northwest reeled off a string of nine attack errors between kills, watching a 9-6 deficit turn into a 19-8 abyss.
After hitting .218 in the second set, their 2-point victory, the Bearcats hit a negative .120 in the third set, accumulating 14 attack errors. They improved to a positive .103 in the fourth set but couldn't match the Lopers' firepower that was led by Burg.
The 6-1 sophomore from Eureka, Missouri, smashed 16 kills and played a part in seven blocks. She hit .406, the high-water mark for UNK's attackers.
"Mia is having a great year. She gives us an offensive weapon in the middle," Squiers said. "She had a really good blocking night tonight. She's really physical. She's played a ton of volleyball and she is doing what we hope she would do coing off really a very good freshman season."
Outside hitter Aisha Regier contributed 10 kills and two blocks.
UNK finished with 44 kills, eight fewer than the Bearcats, but Northwest had 38 hitting errors to the Lopers' 15.
The Lopers also had a 13-9 edge in blocks and a 7-2 advantage in ace serves.
Payton Kirchhoefer led Northwest Missouri with 12 kills and Kasidy Mohwinkle had 10.
UNK will be back in action Tuesday, playing at Fort Hays State. Friday and Saturday, the Lopers will be home again, playing Emporia State and Washburn.
