UNK Volleyball: Wayne State Ends Lopers Season in Five

 All-American middle Taya Beller had a match-high 22 kills and third-ranked Wayne State controlled the final two sets to rally past 13th-ranked Nebraska Kearney (18-25, -23, 20-25, -22, -9) Friday night in an NCAA Tournament second round match in St. Paul, Minn.

This was the first meeting between the Wildcats (30-2) and the Lopers (29-6) in eight years and the first-ever national tourney battle between the two. UNK still has a healthy 69-10 all-time series advantage. Wayne will meet either Concordia-St. Paul or Central Missouri on Saturday night for the right to advance to the “Elite Eight.”

"In both matches this weekend I thought we competed at a different level. I'm proud of our team as if we had won because they came out here and left it all out on the court," said UNK head coach Rick Squiers on the KRVN Radio postgame show. "A little bit of the inexperience we have that maybe they don't shows up once or twice and that's about all it takes to put you in a tough spot."

Ranked number one for much of the last two seasons, Wayne had fewer kills and digs than the Lopers and hit six points lower. However, they registered six more blocks, took advantage of seven UNK service errors and hit .260 over the final two sets. The Blue & Gold amassed 21 kills in the fourth and fifth sets but had only early leads in both.

"In the fourth when we kind of made a run at them at the end (7-1 run to make it 21-20), I thought we're right there again. It comes down to just a play or two in moments like that and they were able to make a couple. Some of that is because they have good athletes who have a little more margin for error," said Squiers.

UNK's best set was the third when it hit .306 (14-3-36) to help erase deficits of 4-1, 7-3 and 10-6. The Lopers closed on an 11-6 run with back-to-back blocks making it 2-1 on the scoreboard. In the first set, Kearney had an 18-9 outburst to erase a four-point hole. They then closed with three straight points, the final one being a block.

In the fifth, Wayne took advantage of two service errors and four kills from senior outside Kelsie Cada to control the action. UNK led 2-1 after a kill from sophomore outside Emilee Lane (Hays, Kan.) but the 'Cats zoomed ahead to lead 7-4 and 9-7. The Lopers got within 11-9 but the final four points of the match all went to the Black & Gold.

"We ran out of juice a little bit," said Squiers. "Every year is a different journey but this one was unique by the way it started … the outdoor match and then going for the regular season attendance record."

Beller, a 6-2 fifth-year junior, hit .383 and added six blocks to her offensive output. She had six kills in each of the first two sets and then four in both the third and fourth. Next, Cada had 14 kills and went 26 for 27 in serve receive with freshman outside Channatee Robles and fifth-year junior middle Maggie Brahmer having 11 kills apiece. A 2022 All-American, Brahmer had a team-best nine blocks with sophomore Taylor Bunjer adding seven more. Finally, libero Jordan McCormick had 23 digs.

Lane, in relief of All-American Emersen Cyza (Alliance) due to injury, went for 16 kills in a team-best 50 swings. The total was one shy of tying her career high. For the fifth straight match, junior outside Asha Regier (Newton, Kan.) had a double digit kill total, going for 16 in 48 swings. Next, right side Jaden Ferguson (Lincoln SW) had her 10th double double (17 digs, 13 kills, .297 pct.) of the year with freshman middle Mia Berg (Eureka, Mo.) hot early and ending with 10 kills and six stuffs. Sophomore middle Trista Marx (Limon, Colo.) was strong late to the tune of eight kills, two blocks and a .375 efficiency.

Also for the Lopers, libero Lauren Taubenheim (Lincoln Pius) had 23 digs, junior DS Jensen Rowse (Minden) had 16 and two aces with setter Peyton Neff (North Platte) having her typical all-around effort; 59 assists, 17 digs, four aces, block and kill.

This was the curtain call for Cyza and Ferguson with Taubenheim, Rowse and DS/S Rhianna Wilhelm (Henderson) all having a "COVID" year available if they wish to return in 2024.