KEARNEY, Neb. — No. 4 Neb.-Kearney (15-0, 2-0 MIAA) defeated Missouri Southern (6-7, 0-2 MIAA) in four sets on Saturday afternoon at H&S Center/Buckle Ct. The Lopers secured the victory with scores of 25-15, 25-15, 18-25, 25-14. Missouri Southern's third-set triumph was highlighted by a .256 hitting percentage, but Neb.-Kearney's overall .285 attack percentage and eight total blocks led the way to their continued undefeated season.
Missouri Southern holds a 6-7 overall record and is 0-2 in MIAA play. Nebraska-Kearney, ranked No. 4 nationally, maintains an unbeaten record of 15-0 and is 2-0 in the MIAA standings.
Fernanda Merancio led Missouri Southern with 13 kills on 30 attempts, finishing with a .233 hitting percentage.
Alana Moesch contributed significantly in both offense and defense, tallying 12 kills and 11 digs.
Hannah Allick orchestrated the offense with 18 assists and added two service aces.
Anny Montano recorded 10 kills and two block assists, posting a .364 hitting percentage.
Tori Hamilton was active defensively, collecting a team-high 15 digs.
Missouri Southern started strong in the first set with a service ace by Allick, quickly taking a 2-0 lead.
Addysen Alvis contributed with a service ace of her own, maintaining the momentum for the Lions. Merancio and Alvis combined for timely kills, keeping the contest competitive early on. However, Nebraska-Kearney responded with consistent scoring, eventually pulling ahead. Despite efforts from Missouri Southern, including a kill from Montano and joint blocks from Montano and
Ella Breazeale, Nebraska-Kearney's offense, led by Brynn Stowell and Carly Purdy, widened the gap. The first set concluded with Nebraska-Kearney leading 25-15.
Missouri Southern faced an uphill battle in the second set against Neb.-Kearney, as the home team capitalized on an early lead. Despite a strong effort by Merancio and Montano, who each contributed multiple kills, the Lions struggled to close the gap. A series of service errors further complicated their comeback attempts. Neb.-Kearney maintained pressure with consistent plays, including a notable performance by Bryn McNair and Purdy on kills. Missouri Southern managed a late rally with contributions from Moesch, but it was not enough to overturn the deficit. Neb.-Kearney secured the set with a 25-15 victory, extending their match lead.
The third set began with Missouri Southern capitalizing on an early service ace from Allick to set the tone. Despite a brief tie at 5-5 after a series of attack errors, Missouri Southern established control with a 5-0 run, highlighted by
Mataiya Barber's service ace and Moesch's kills. This forced a timeout by Neb.-Kearney as Missouri Southern extended their lead to 10-5. Missouri Southern continued to maintain their advantage with contributions from Merancio and Alvis, who executed kills to keep the momentum. Another crucial stretch saw Missouri Southern widening the gap to 19-14, prompting another timeout from the opposition. Alvis and Moesch delivered key points to solidify their lead. In the closing moments, Missouri Southern capitalized on multiple errors by Neb.-Kearney, allowing them to increase their margin. The set concluded with an attack error by Sydney Davis, securing a 25-18 victory for Missouri Southern in the third set.
In the fourth set, Missouri Southern faced a challenging start as Nebraska-Kearney's Emilee Lane and Abby Rose accumulated early points, leading to a 5-1 advantage for the home team. Missouri Southern managed to break the momentum with a kill by Merancio, but UNK continued their offensive drive, extending their lead to 11-6 despite efforts from Montano and Merancio to chip away at the deficit. As the set progressed, Missouri Southern's defense was tested by consistent attacks from UNK, notably from Purdy and Mia Berg, which widened the gap to 16-7. Missouri Southern responded with strategic substitutions and successful blocks by Alvis and Breazeale, narrowing the score to 18-11. However, Nebraska-Kearney maintained their lead, closing the set with a 25-14 victory, highlighted by Rose's decisive kills.
