The Metro State volleyball team (7-6, 5-1 RMAC) battled hard, but could not overcome the experience of No. 10 University of Nebraska-Kearney (14-1, 6-0 RMAC), Friday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play at the Auraria Events Center. The tenth-ranked Lopers prevailed, 25-19, 25-18, 25-23.
"I thought we showed the potential our team has," Head Coach Debbie Hendricks said. "At times we battled point for point with Kearney, and at other times we made too many unforced errors. I think that is a sign of a young team. If we play with confidence and minimize our errors, we will be very competitive in the RMAC."
The teams battled back and forth in the first set, until UNK went on a 9-5 run to pull ahead 18-14. From there the Lopers made just one error and capitilazed on three from the 'Runners to take the first set.
The second set was almost identical to the first, as the teams traded points early. Metro State got out to an 11-9 lead, before libero Kelli Wemhoff would serve seven consecutive points to give the Lopers a 16-11 advantage. Junior Mikki Scott had three kills down the stretch to close out the set for UNK.
UNK looked like it would cruise to the victory in the third set, holding the lead at 12-9 and 19-16, but the 'Runners would fight back. Behind two aces from freshman defensive specialist Ngoc Phan, the 'Runners would go on a 5-0 to take the lead, 21-19. The Lopers evened the score at 21-21 and pulled ahead on back to back kills from Jeri Walkowiak and Chelsie Carson. Junior Anna Mapes kept the 'Runners alive with a kill to close the score to 24-23, but Walkowiak pounded her 13th kill of the night to end the match.
Sophomore Lisa Jones led the 'Runners with nine kills, four blocks and a .500 hitting percentage. Mapes added six kills, three blocks and a .500 hitting percentage. The outside hitting tandem of Bri Morley and Amanda Cook, who have been so solid for the 'Runners, were held to a .000 hitting percentage.
Metro State returns to conference play next weekend when they travel to Mesa State and Fort Lewis.
