The 12th-ranked Nebraska Kearney volleyball team used a balanced attack to easily sweep Franklin Pierce University (-8, -8, -7) and St. Michael’s College (-10, -13, -16) Friday in Colchester, Vt.
The matches were part of SMC’s “Windjammer Classic” and the 2025 openers for all parties. UNK (2-0) faces 18th-ranked Bentley (Mass.) and East Stroudsburg (Pa.) on Saturday.
In the morning, the Lopers had a record book effort to dominate the FPU Ravens from Rindge, N.H. Getting kills from 11 different players, UNK out hit Pierce by 556 points. The .506 (45-4-81) effort by the Lopers is tied for third best in school history and just the fifth time the team has reached the lofty .500 mark. The record of .533 (38-6-60) was set in a 2008 win at Colorado State-Pueblo.
North Platte graduate outside hitter Carly Purdy was at a team-best seven kills and hit .375 with three others at six kills apiece. That included Imperial junior outside Bryn McNair who hit .857 (6-0-7) while also providing three blocks. Next, middle blockers Mia Berg (Eureka, Mo.) and Abby Rose (Lindsborg, Kan.) combined for nine kills and no errors in 15 swings with junior libero Ellie Spang (Ft. Wayne, Ind.) at 10 digs and 8 for 8 in serve receive. Finally, sophomore DS Rhyan Mock (Stilwell, Kan.) recorded four aces.
Things were only a bit tougher against the Purple Knights as UNK hit .295 and got kills from eight different players. SMC hit .027 after FPU was at -.049. Purdy again led in kills (12) with Berg adding seven, hitting .667 and recording two blocks at the net. Finally, Kansas sophomore right side Brynn Stowellhad five kills in nine swings (.556) with Spang (seven) and McNair (six) leading in digs.
A 2024 Final Four team, Bentley swept ESU (-24, -19, -21) Friday morning and faced FPU in the evening.
