MARYVILLE, Mo. – The No. 4-ranked University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers rallied for a five-set win over the Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team Friday night in Bearcat Arena.
 
UNK won by set scores of 20-25, 22-25, 25-15, 25-17 and 15-7. The Lopers extended their win streak to eight in a row and moved to 28-1 overall. UNK is 15-1 in MIAA play. Northwest slipped to 14-11 overall and 8-7 in league play.
 
Bearcat libero Kyah Luhring was credited with a match-high 38 digs. It is the fifth 30-plus dig match of her collegiate career. Abby Bulthuis secured a career-high 13 kills. Abby Brunssen notched a team-high 15 kills.
 
The Bearcats jumped out all over the visiting Lopers with an 8-2 start to the match. The set would never be closer than four points as the Bearcats pounced out to a 25-20 victory. The Bearcats hit .212 with 16 kills and five errors in the first set. UNK hit .184 with 14 kills and five errors. Northwest tallied four blocks in the opening-set win.
 
Northwest would take a 2-0 lead with a late 5-2 run in the second set for a 25-22 triumph. Northwest led 13-10, but UNK knotted the set at 15-15. The set was tied at 15-15, 16-16, 17-17, 18-18, 19-19 and 20-20. Northwest landed 18 kills in the second with six errors for a .250 hitting percentage. UNK hit .217 with 15 kills and five errors.
 
The Lopers came out strong in the third set and took a 13-6 lead to begin the action. UNK was able to extend the margin to 16-8. Northwest used a 5-1 run to pull within 17-13. However, UNK scored back-to-back points and Bearcat head coach Amy Woerth exercised her second timeout of the set at 19-13. The Lopers finished off the set with a 25-15 win to force a fourth set. UNK landed 10 kills and had two errors for a .235 hitting percentage in the third. Northwest had eight attack errors and 11 kills for an .079 hitting effort.
 
The fourth began with six ties as the squads were able to trade sideout efforts. UNK gained a small lead at 13-10 lead when Northwest took its first timeout of the fourth set. Woerth inserted Avery Kemp into the lineup with the Bearcats trailing 15-11. Kemp netted three kills but Northwest could not get any closer than two. UNK secured a 25-17 win in the fourth. UNK hit .325 with 16 kills and three errors in the fourth. Northwest hit .163 with 13 kills and five errors.
 
The Loper rode a heavy dose of momentum into the fifth set and opened up a 6-1 lead to seize control of the decisive set. The Lopers opened it up to a 10-3 lead when Northwest used its second timeout of the set. UNK closed out the triumph with a 15-7 victory.
 
Northwest will honor seven members of its senior class prior to Saturday's final home regular season match of the season at 6 p.m. against Fort Hays State.