KEARNEY, Neb. — A day after playing in the highest scoring single match in NCAA Division II history, the Newman women's volleyball team finished its time at the Victorian Inn & Suites/Runza Fall Classic by topping Northwestern Oklahoma State 3-1 before falling to host No. 7 Nebraska-Kearney 3-0.
NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE
Key Sequence
Similar to their matchup just four days prior, the Jets (5-3 overall) sprinted out to the lead against the Rangers (0-9) before falling in the third set of their 25-12, 25-12, 23-25, 25-15 win. NWOSU made things tight to start in the fourth as well, but back-to-back kills from Laura Hageman started a four-point run that was ended by an Emily Harvey kill and pushed Newman in front 15-11.
How It Happened
-A 5-1 run secured the lead for good for the Jets in the first set, with Kayla Turner starting things off with a kill and teaming up with Yemima Buana for a block. Hageman tagged two more kills and Harvey added another to make it 11-8.
-Hailey Braddy put three kills around a Ranger error to help the Jets rattle off four straight points to make it 16-10, and Newman would score nine of the final 12 points to grab the victory in the opening set.
-That lopsided play continued into the second game, with Harvey putting up two kills and Aliya Higginbotham and Buana each adding one as the Jets scored the first six points to take a commanding lead.
-That advantage quickly turned to 10 after a 5-0 run keyed by two Harvey kills around one from Braddy, and an ace out of Anna Burton.
-NWOSU closed the gap a bit in the middle of the set, but Braddy and Harvey each had two kills as the Jets scored the final five points of the set to go up 2-0 in the match.
-Newman couldn't find its feet early in the third, going down by as much as seven at 10-3 after the Rangers ran off five straight points. Alexis Roecker started getting the Jets back into it with three straight kills to make things 18-14.
-A 5-0 run, again with Roecker supplying two kills, helped shoot the Jets right back into it all while facing set point, pulling things back to 24-23. The Rangers would close it out on the next point to force a fourth set.
-With a newfound confidence, NWOSU hung around in the first part of the fourth game, taking the lead at 8-6 and tying the score at 9-, 10- and 11-all before Newman went on its run to take control.
-Newman finished a set strongly for the fourth straight time, scoring eight of the final nine points, with Braddy picking up two of the final four points on kills.
NEBRASKA-KEARNEY
Key Sequence
After playing a much better second set against the No. 7 Lopers (8-0 overall), Newman still saw itself trailing 2-0 to one of the top teams in the country. Needing to win three straight sets, UNK took control early in the third, netting the first eight points to help end the thought of a comeback on the way to a 25-16, 25-18, 25-15 win.
How It Happened
-Newman got the first point of the match on a Harvey kill, and was tied as late as 4-4, but the hosts went on a big run on the way to taking the first set.
-The Jets never led in the second set, but did play right with the Lopers early, including a three-point swing that tied things at 9-9. A pair of blocks helped bring Newman even, with Jarin Braithwait going up for a solo block, and teaming up with Brook Conley for another.
-A 7-1 run helped UNK take control, but Newman played with the Lopers until the end, netting four of the final eight points as Harvey, Hageman, Braithwait and Braddy all posted kills.
-The big run to start the final set put the Lopers in control, and that lead got as big as 19-7 before the Jets put the brakes on the blowout by putting up five straight points. Emily Harvey started the run with two straight kills, added a block with Buana, and Hageman ended it with a kill.
NOTES
-Harvey posted 17 kills against UNK, the most any individual has went for against the undefeated Lopers. She put that up on 33 attempts for a .303 hitting percentage, and after going for 15 against NWOSU, now has double-digit kills in eight of nine matches this season.
-Braddy put up 15 kills against the Rangers to go with her 22 in the record-breaking five-set match against Black Hills State Friday, and she totaled 52 on the weekend and hit better than .370 in three matches.
-Conley dished out 70 assists on the day, exactly 10.0 per set, and also chipped in with 10 digs in each match.
-Anna Burton put up 34 digs against the Rangers, and added another 22 against the Lopers to lead Newman in both matches on the day.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Jets are back at home for a short reprieve Tuesday, hosting Bethel in a 7 p.m. match at Fugate Gymnasium.
