Jennies Volleyball Falls in MIAA Semifinals to Lopers

KEARNEY, Neb. (Nov. 17, 2017) - Central Missouri Jennies Volleyball's hopes for a 15th MIAA Tournament title were thwarted Friday night in the semifinal round against No. 1 seed, Nebraska-Kearney. The Jennies season comes to an end at 25-8, 14-4 MIAA following the 3-1 (25-22, 15-25, 27-29, 14-25) loss to the Lopers.

How it Happened
• The Jennies hit .073 for the match committing 35 attack errors against the Lopers. UNK didn't hit much better at .169, but committed 10 fewer hitting errors.
• Nebraska-Kearney was able to hang with the Jennies on the back end, picking up 86 digs to the Jennies 80.
• UNK scored one point blocking point, 13-12, but swung five points off of serves. The Lopers hit four service aces to the Jennies one, while UCM hit five service errors and the Lopers just three.
• The opening frame set the tone for the match as the Jennies quickly went ahead 4-1, getting a service ace from Katie Carlson. That lead didn't last long as the Lopers went on a 16-4 to take a 17-8 lead and looked to be in control. Give the Jennies credit for fighting back and finally tying the set at 20, thanks to a 12-3 run of their own. Using that momentum, the Jennies went back on top and Hannah VanBuskirk ended the set with back-to-back kills, 25-22. 
• The first set was very reminiscent to the third set the first time these two met where the Lopers took an 11-2 lead, before the Jennies came back to tie and took a 25-24 lead, before ultimately falling, 27-25.
• All the momentum the Jennies had built up from their thrilling first set win seemed to disappear in a heartbeat. The Lopers built a 9-2 lead and this time held on, 25-15, evening the match at one set apiece. 
• The third set finally saw the Jennies open up a large lead at 12-5, but just like set one, the lead didn't last, only this time it was the Lopers who came back. A 13-5 UNK stretch put them on top 18-17, and that's when the fun really started. Both teams knew the importance of the set and neither were giving in. The set was tied and retied at nine straight points: 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 before UNK was finally able to score two straight on a block and a UCM attack error to take a 2-1 lead in the match. 
• Central Missouri again went on top 4-1, and kept that three-point lead midway through the fourth set, 9-6. That is when things unraveled on the Jens to the tune of an 8-0 Loper run. UCM wasn't able to recover and Nebraska-Kearney outscored the Jens 19-5 to end the match. Central Missouri did themselves no favors hitting -.086 with 10 errors and just seven kills. 
• The Jennies committed 25 of their 35 attack errors in the final two sets, with an attack percentage of less than .100 in both. 

Jennies Stat Leaders
• Kasey Hohlen and Hannah VanBuskirk led the team with 12 kills each. VanBuskirk also added five blocks and Hohlen two.
• Audrey Fisher landed nine kills and had eight blocks, a new single-game best.
• Kylie Hohlen led four Jennies with 10+ digs as she dug out 30 Loper attacks.
• Katie Carlson helped out with 12 digs and Carly Offerdahl had 11.
• Ally Offerdahl recorded her 13th double-double with a team-leading 40 assists and 10 digs.
• Molly Lawrence scored seven kills and added four blocks.

For the Lopers
• Tara Ziegelbien finished with a game-high 16 kills and added eight blocks.
• Julianne Jackson was also in double-figures with 12 kills as was Anna Squiers with 10.
• Lindsey Smith passed out a game-best 46 assists and added eight digs.
• Ellie McDonnell picked up 20 digs and Jackson had 20.

News and Notes
• The match followed the same pattern as last year's season finale. The Jennies and Lopers met as the No. 4 and No. 1 seeds in the MIAA semifinal round. Central Missouri won the opening set before losing a hard-fought 3-1 match.
• The loss is the Jennies fifth straight to the Lopers. 
• Fisher's eight blocks are the most by a Jennie this season, as are their 12 team blocks.
• Katie Carlson finished her Jennies career with more than 700 digs, surpassing the figure tonight.
• Hannah VanBuskirk reached 250 kills in her first season on the court for the Jennies.
• Kylie Hohlen went over 1,500 career digs tonight, becoming just the 10th Jennie to ever reach that milestone.