By Leia Baez and Paul Freelend
Eighth-ranked South Dakota State University’s volleyball team exemplified “senior power” Saturday night as the Jackrabbits swept UNO 30-20, 30-22 and 30-28 before 495 fans at the Sapp Fieldhouse.
Senior outside hitters Annie Ebnet and Kelly Hoemann, a Waco, Texas native, led the SDSU offense. Ebnet pounded 12 kills and led the team with 15 digs. Hoemann added 11 kills and four blocks. Senior setter Angie Rime picked up 12 digs and senior libero Liz Archer added 11 digs.
UNO’s lone senior, middle hitter Jewelia Grennan, responded to SDSU’s senior domination with 10 kills and eight digs. Grennan was the only Mav to reach double-figure kills. Sophomore libero Heather VanAckeren led the UNO defense with 12 digs.
The Mavs, who lost their fifth straight match, were unable to serve consistently, which gave the Jackrabbits easy, unearned points. UNO committed 16 service errors. SDSU had only three. The eight-ranked Jackrabbits handed UNO its fifth straight loss of the season, dropping UNO to 11-9 on the season and 1-4 in the North Central Conference. SDSU improved to 17-3 overall and 4-1 in the NCC.
Minnesota State-Mankato hosted the Mavericks Thursday night and swept UNO 30-16, 30-28 and 30-24.
Jenny Rankin led UNO with nine kills. Ashley Freeman had eight kills and four block assists and Grennan added seven kills and nine digs. Christie Johnson had 18 set assists and six digs for the Mavericks and VanAckeren recorded 17 digs.
UNO will host South Dakota on Friday at 7 p.m. Like the Mavs, South Dakota has an 11-9 record overall and 1-4 in the NCC. USD will play Morningside today, which can either put USD ahead or behind the Mavs as far as records go. Senior outside hitter Amber Abrams will lead the USD offense. She is the all-time kills leader for the Coyotes with more than 1,150 kills in her career.
