Outsides Help #3 UNK Sweep Mo Southern Again

Outside hitters Asha Regier and Carly Purdy combined for 25 kills to help third-ranked Nebraska Kearney sweep Missouri Southern (-18, -19, -20) Saturday afternoon in Joplin.

This is the only MIAA match between the Lopers (14-0, 2-0) and the Lions (2-10 ,0-2) this year. UNK swept MSSU in a non-con match at the Health & Sports Center earlier this month.

Regier (Newton, Kan.) went for 14 kills in 42 swings (.286 pct.) with Purdy at 11 in 26 attempts (.423 pct.). UNK out hit the Lions by a .258 to .118 margin with eight Lopers registering at least one kill.

The match featured 10 ties and five lead changes with the Blue & Gold getting a season-best 28 digs from graduate libero Alli Wiese (Mattawan, Mich.) and 12 apiece from DS Lexi Stephens (Ankeny, Ia.) and right-side Lauren Taubenheim (Lincoln Pius).

MSSU did serve up three aces and also had eight players get into the kill column. That included Ameilia Neels (five kills, four blocks) and Josey Goldberg (10 kills, three blocks).

The Lopers return home next weekend to face Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri.