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WARRENSBURG, Mo. - Carly Sojka and Kourtney Thompson had their connection working tonight as No. 13 UCM Jennies Volleyball defeated No. 16 Nebraska-Kearney in four sets, 3-1 (25-23, 25-20, 27-29, 25-21). Both Jennies had career nights with Sojka setting a new high with 31 kills, and Thompson bettering her career-mark with 62 assists. With the win, UCM moves to 15-2 on the season and 3-1 in the MIAA.

The 31 kills is tied for the third most in a single-match in UCM history and is the first time someone reached the 30 kill plateau since Darla McConnell in 1999. Thompson's 62 assists is the first time she has reached 60 in her career. The last time a Jennie reached 60 assists was Julia Bates with exactly 60 in 2010. Associate Head Coach Caitlin Pankratz was the last to put up more than 62. She recorded 72 assists in 2007.



Those weren't the only two Jennies with big nights though. Cheyanne Lyons reached 10 kills for the first time and Maddie Jones put down 11. Of the team's seven blocks five came from Kasey Hohlen. Annie Reilly chipped in with four assists and two service aces, and led the match defensively with 30 digs, her third 30-dig match of the season.

It was the Lopers who got off to a fast start in the opening frame. They lead 4-1 after the first five points, getting a pair of kills from Kaitlynn Thomas. UCM took their first lead of the set at 8-7 on Lyons' first kill of the match. The set went back-and-forth with 14 ties and four lead changes. After UCM went up 23-21, UNK scored the next two points, evening the set and forcing a Jennies timeout. Out of the break, a bad set gave the Jennies their lead back at 24-23 and Kylie Hohlen ended the set with her only kill of the frame.

The Jennies never trailed in set number two, scoring the first point of the set on a Reilly service ace. UCM pushed their lead to five at 14-9 and again at 20-15 when the Lopers began to rally. They scored the next four points, getting three straight kills from Kaitlynn Thomas, to bring the Jens lead down to one, 20-19. That's as close as they came and the Jennies went on a 5-1 run, scoring the final four points of the set, getting two kills and an ace from Sojka, to win the set 25-20 and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Neither team was giving an inch in a third set that saw 18 ties and four lead changes and needed the winning team to score 29 points. After going on top 2-1, the Jennies maintained a lead and opened up a five-point edge at 14-9. The Lopers came back, tying the set on six occasions before grabbing their first lead since 1-0 at 22-21. The two teams traded points with neither getting a two-point advantage until a service error and attack error on UCM's part kept the Lopers in the match with a 29-27 win. Sojka landed 12 of her 31 kills in the set and Thompson dished out 19 assists.

With momentum on the Lopers side, it was the Jennies who came out on fire to start the fourth set. UCM jumped out to a 7-3 lead, putting back three straight blocks, with Kasey Hohlen in on all three and causing a UNK timeout. The Lopers cut the lead to one at 15-14 and again at 18-17, but the Jens were up to the task and never lost the lead, as they closed the match with a 25-21 win.

UCM makes a quick trip to Lindenwood this Tuesday, Oct. 6 for an MIAA match with the Lions. First serve is at 7 p.m.