No. 4 UNK volleyball began conference play last weekend on its home court. The Lopers entered the fourth set for the first two times this season in wins over Central Missouri and Missouri Southern, to stay undefeated at 15-0.
Before conference play UNK had not lost a set. So when the Lopers dropped the third set in both matches, it created adversity that Ellie Spang, junior libero, said the team pushed through.
“I thought that our team showed a lot of grit and some mental toughness,” Spang said. “We were definitely challenged in ways that we knew we expected to be challenged.”
The Lopers defeated Central Missouri (25-18, 25-19, 21-25, 25-20) on Friday and Missouri Southern (25-15, 25-15, 18-25, 25-14) on Saturday.
Emilee Lane, senior outside hitter, led the Lopers in kills with 14 and 11 in the two matches. Graduate outside hitter Carly Purdy and Lane are first and second in kills per set in the MIAA.
UNK coach Rick Squiers said there is still room for growth, but it is still early in the season.
“I’m just not going to get too picky about winning two conference matches,” Squiers said. “They were not perfect, and I think our players know that.”
After winning the first two sets convincingly against Central Missouri and Missouri Southern, both teams took the third set from UNK.
“No team ever goes away, and we can’t get comfortable ever,” Spang said. “We really need to come out strong every single set and show them, make a statement about who we are because we’re such a good, talented team.”
Getting pushed in matches by talented teams is something both Squiers and senior setter Peyton Neff said will be beneficial in the long run.
“(The MIAA is) really tough, and if we’re going to win a national championship, win a conference championship, then we’ve got to play the tough teams early,” Neff said.
UNK’s versatility was on full display during the weekend. Five players had at least 15 kills in the two matches.
“I think that it’s going to be a strength of ours later in the season that we have so many people that can play,” Neff said. “It might not always look pretty, and it might take a little bit to get going, but I think that it’s going to work down the stretch, because we’re going to need everybody at some point.”
UNK goes back on the road this weekend to face No. 24 Missouri Western (9-4) at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3, in St. Joseph, Missouri, and Northwest Missouri State (6-5) at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, in Maryville, Missouri.
The Lopers will return home to face Fort Hays State at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at the Health and Sports Center.
“We’re trying to play around some of our shortcomings and improve them in practice training, and if we can keep doing that, then hopefully we’ll be a contender,” Squiers said.
