#5 Lopers Sweep #16 Griffons, Earn a Share of MIAA Regular Season Title

The fifth-ranked Nebraska Kearney volleyball team got another big night from its outside hitters and had some key runs to sweep 16th-ranked Missouri Western (-19, -24, -22) Friday night at the Health & Sports Center.

The Lopers (26-3, 13-3) earn a share of the 2025 MIAA regular season title; the Griffons (21-6) picked up a share Thursday after sweeping Fort Hays State. On Saturday, eighth-ranked Washburn (23-3, 12-3) can do the same with a win over Arkansas-Ft. Smith (13-15, 3-12).

Since joining the MIAA in 2012, UNK now has eight outright or shared regular season titles. They also have five tournament titles with that eight-team event held next weekend in St. Joseph, Mo. Pairings will be released Saturday after the completion of the regular season.

Back in October, UNK pulled a rabbit out of its hat to beat Mo West in five sets (-30, 22-25, -22-25, -25, -13). Tonight there was drama, but the match only featured 12 ties and five lead changes. The Lopers out hit the Griffs by nearly 140 points and made key plays when needed.

"I thought we got our outsides going tonight and they got some confidence. We were able to get more block touches this time around. There still were big stretches where we couldn't stop them at all," said UNK head coach Rick Squiers. "They were really coming after us from the service line and got some aces. But we kind of leveled off there."

After signing the national anthem to start the evening, graduate outside Carly Purdy (North Platte) recorded seven kills in 11 swings with no errors in the opening set. Position mate Emilee Lane (Hays, Kan.) added six more as UNK quickly erased 1-0 and 2-1 deficits.

Set two was a different story, however, as the Griffs had 15 kills and hit .250. They held leads of 11-7 and 21-16 before the Lopers made a move. A Purdy kill, followed by a combined block from setter Peyton Neff (North Platte) and middle Mia Berg (Eureka, Mo.), made it a three-point deficit and then Lane recorded back-to-back kills. MWSU called timeout but it didn't help as middle Abby Rose (Lindsborg, Kan.) smashed home a kill and libero Ellie Spang (Ft. Wayne, Ind.) had a serve hit the net and drop for an ace.

"You catch a break or two. We also came out on the right side of a video challenge so all the things that didn't go our way vs. Emporia State (loss last Saturday), a lot of them went our way tonight," said Squiers.

A set-closing 4-2 spurt featured two Lane kills but Mo West rebounded after the break. They lead 5-1, 7-4 and 15-12 in the third before UNK turned the tide again. A 5-2 run tied things at 17 and included two kills from middle Sydney Davis (Danneborg). While the Griffs rebounded to lead 21-19, the Lopers closed out the night with three kills, a Rose solo block and MWSU unforced error.

"I thought Neff was amazing tonight…gave people hittable balls. Played good defense and we just looked like we were in sync," said Squires. "The Health & Sports Center makes a big difference. We felt like in the last two sets, if we could just stay close, any momentum we'd get this place would get into it and put pressure on them. That's how it went."

Lane (17), Purdy (13) and Rose (10) paced the offense with Davis at four blocks and Spang at nine digs. Finally, Rose hit .643, Spang had two aces and Neff had 43 assists.

Junior right side Taylor Russell (11 kills, four blocks) and junior outside Holly Heldt (nine kills, nine digs) led the Black & Gold.