Kearney, Neb. – The now sixth-ranked Nebraska Kearney volleyball team served up eight aces and hit .315 to dispatch of the Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions (-18, -13, -17) Wednesday night at Buckle Court. The Lopers (16-1, 5-0) have now won 48 consecutive sets, tying a mark held by the 2004 national runner up team that finished 40-1. UNK can break that record Friday night against first-year Northeastern State (1-14, 0-4).
There were just two leads changes and three ties all night as UAFS (13-5, 2-3) hit .136 and no Lion had more than nine kills. However, Fort Smith did hang around in the first and third sets to make things a tad interesting.
“Definitely not a complete effort like we had against Emporia State where we were dialed in start to finish and played clean,” said UNK head coach Rick Squiers. “We flirted with something good and then we’d look up at the scoreboard and kind of take our foot off the gas.”
Freshman setter Ellie Eckman (Lincoln SW) had four of UNK’s aces with fellow newcomers Callie Squiers (Kearney Catholic) and Taryn Arbuthnot (Sumner) and lefty Julia Davenport (Papillion La Vista) at one each.
“Serving was the one area I was most pleased with, and it was kind of start to finish. We kept it on them from the service line, had a few servers that got that out of sorts and part of the reason we were able to open up leads. It wasn’t our blocking our defense,” said Squiers.
All-American outside Carly Purdy (North Platte) had a team-high 10 kills and hit .400 with middle Sidney Davis (Dannebrog) at eight kills, a team-best five blocks and a .438 efficiency. Next, right side Brynn Stowell (Olathe, Kan.) hit .500 and provided nine kills and two stuffs. Finally, right side Bryn McNair (Imperial) had five blocks, three digs and three kills.
“I was frustrated a lot tonight. We blocked a little bit and then we stopped blocking. We got bad touches. Played defense for a while but then stopped when we got ahead by five or six,” sad Squiers. “We’re trying to get better and without knowing a whole lot about NSU, there are some things with our lineup I’ve been curious about and would like to look at.”
UAFS was led by Lydia Pitts (nine kills, eight digs).
