Box Score (XML) | Box Score (HTML) | Season Stats

KEARNEY, Neb. - In a battle between two of the top ranked teams in the country, the No. 6 Central Missouri Jennies fell on the road to No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney in straight sets, 25-17, 25-15, 25-17, Friday night in Kearney. The loss snaps a seven-match win streak for UCM, and is just the second loss in the last 21 matches.

The Jennies (23-5, 15-2 MIAA) kept things close early in the first set, tying the score at 2-2 after kills from Bradye Peniston and Carly Sojka. The Jens claimed a narrow lead at 7-6, after Lisa Moore's first kill of the night. Nebraska-Kearney (29-2, 15-1 MIAA) scored three straight to take a 9-6 advantage, then after another kill from Moore, ran off eight straight points, all from kills, to take a 17-8 lead. Central Missouri had a quick three-point run, but were never able to fully climb back into the set, as the Lopers took the first set 25-17.

The Lopers wasted no time in the second set, after falling behind 2-1 off back to back kills from Peniston and Moore. UNK scored eight straight points, taking a 9-2 lead. The Jens answered with six of the next nine points, closing to within 12-8 with a Peniston service ace, but that would be as close as they could get in the set. The Lopers outscored UCM 11-4 in the closing moments of the set, going up 23-12. Peniston recorded a pair of kills to make it 23-14, and Sojka kept the Jens alive with a kill at 24-15, but couldn't hold on any longer, as UNK won the second, 25-15.

Central Missouri would take their biggest lead of the night in the third set, going up 6-4 early. After a kill from Julia Bates that gave the Jennies another two-point advantage at 7-5, the Lopers tied the set at 7-7 with back to back kills. Bates knocked down the kill to briefly reclaim the lead at 8-7, before Nebraska-Kearney scored on the next 11 points, and 16 of the next 17, to take a commanding 23-9 advantage. The Jennies responded with an 8-1 run, holding off the Lopers on five straight match points, but ultimately fell, 25-17.

Sojka finished with a team-high nine kills, while Peniston and Taylor Goodness each recorded eight. Four Jennies finished in double figures in digs, with Sojka leading the way with 19, followed by Mikalee Monachino and Sara Rooney with 12 apiece, and Annie Reilly with 10.

The Jennies now travel to Hays, Kan., to finish the 2012 regular season with a match against the Fort Hays Tigers, starting tomorrow morning at 11 a.m.