BOX SCORE (PDF) | SEASON STATS (PDF)

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - No. 2-ranked Nebraska-Kearney was pushed to four sets, but the Lopers scored a 3-1 win over No. 20-ranked Northwest Missouri State in the semifinals of the 2019 MIAA Tournament held at Hy-Vee Arena.

Nebraska-Kearney won by set scorers of 26-24, 25-10, 23-25, 25-21. The Lopers stayed perfect on the season and moved to 32-0, while the loss dropped Northwest to 21-9 overall.

It was the ninth time this season that the Lopers dropped a set in a match. Northwest is the only program to take a set in three different matches against Nebraska-Kearney in 2019.

Northwest nearly seized the opening set despite falling behind 5-0. UNK held a 19-15 lead but Northwest rallied to take a 22-21 lead after a 7-2 run. Northwest had a set point at 24-23 but a kill by UNK's Julianne Jackson evened the set at 24-24. The Lopers tallied the next two points to squeeze out a 26-24 triumph. UNK had 19 kills (.246) and Northwest had 18 kills (.203) in the opening set.

The Lopers unleashed its attack in the second set and cruised to a 25-10 victory. UNK had 15 kills and two errors (.382) as Northwest faltered with six kills and eight errors (-.054). 

Northwest battled back with a strong third set and posted a 25-23. Junior Hallie Sidney powered the Bearcats with six kills and seven digs in the third set. The Bearcats limited the Lopersr to .034 hitting in the third as UNK notched 12 kills and 10 errors.

UNK finished off the match with a 25-21 win in the third set. The Lopers took advantage of a 77% sideout clip to go along with 12 kills and three errors (.214). Northwest had a 66% sideout effort in the fourth and had 16 kills (.174). The Bearcats fed off junior Morgan Lewis's seven kills in the fourth. Sophomore Hannah Koechl's defense kept the Bearcats in the set with 16 digs.

Koechl finished the match with a career-high 42 digs. It is the third-highest single-match dig total in Bearcat history. Only Olivia Nowakowski (47) and Paige Spangenberg (46) totaled more digs in a match in program history. Koechl added a team-high three service aces.

Sidney recorded her 18th double-double with 13 kills and 16 digs. Rachel Sturdevant also tallied a double-double, her fifth of the season, with 13 kills and 11 digs.