Jennies Fall in Top-25 Battle to No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Oct. 22, 2016) - In another AVCA top-25 match for No. 15 Central Missouri Jennies Volleyball, the No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney Lopers defeated UCM in straight sets, 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-16). The loss puts UCM at 6-5 in the MIAA and 16-7 overall.

It was the eighth match of the season against a ranked opponent, and UCM is now 3-5 in such games. 

Nebraska-Kearney outhit the Jennies .245 to .147 and landed 11.5 blocks to UCM's six. The Lopers landed eight more kills, while the Jennies hit into six more attack errors.

Maddie Jones was the only Jennie to crack 10+ kills with her team-best 12. Kourtney Thompson had an active night with a team-high 29 assists along with seven kills, seven digs and one block. Carly Offerdahl led the defensive effort with a game-high and career-high-tying 22 digs.

The Jennies started out hot against the Lopers in the opening frame, taking a 6-2 lead and forcing a UNK timeout. Kearney started to chip away at that lead though and eventually tied the match at 17-all and took their first lead, 18-17, on a kill from Tara Ziegelbein. The Lopers led until UCM retied the set, 23-23, after back-to-back kills from Molly Lawrence. But two kills from Kendall Schroer ended the set with a win for the Lopers, 25-23. Jones had five of her 12 kills in the frame while Thompson handed out 13 assists on 16 kills.

In set two it was the Lopers who took a large lead early, 10-4, only to see the Jennies come from behind. The Lopers maintained a six-point lead, 16-10, when the Jens cut the lead to one scoring five straight points. UCM couldn't break through, and after a Thompson kill brought the Jens within one for a second time, 23-22, Annie Wolfe landed two straight kills giving the Lopers a 2-0 lead.

The third set was hard fought at the beginning with the Lopers hanging onto a one-point lead, 9-8. That's when they went on a 7-1 run to open up a 16-9 lead and were able to run away with a 25-16 win.

Nebraska-Kearney moves to 26-1 and 11- in the MIAA with the win. Wolfe led the Lopers with a match-high 13 kills and team-best 14 digs for a double-double. Ziegelbein added nine and also put back nine blocks. Lindsey Smith finished with 39 assists. 

Central Missouri hits the road for three straight matches. Their first is next Friday, Oct. 28, at Central Oklahoma. Match time is set for 6:30 p.m.