TOPEKA, Kan. --- In spite having the more efficient offense, the Washburn volleyball team fell Friday evening to seventh-ranked Nebraska-Kearney, 3-1 (22-25, 25-18, 29-27, 25-22) at home during Senior Night. The result drops the Ichabods to 6-7 in MIAA action and 15-10 on the year.

The Washburn offense hit .210 for the match with 65 kills, 25 errors on 186 attempts, while the defense held the Lopers (25-2, 12-1 MIAA) to a sub-.200 hitting for 10th time this season, committing 26 errors on 177 swings with 59 kills. 

Genna Berg led the Ichabod attack as she hit .217, finishing with a career-best 25 kills and registering 15 digs for her first-career double-double. Berg's offensive performance is tied for the 20th-best single-match kill total in program history as she also becomes the first player to reach the 25-kill plateau since Leanna Willer's 28-kill night against UNK last season.

Tied 2-2 early in opening set, Washburn used a 5-1 run to take a 7-3 advantage before moving the the scoreline to 18-13. UNK threatened as a 3-0 spurt closed the gap to 18-16 before it was short-lived as Taylor Selk and Berg combined for three kills to help the Ichabods push ahead to 22-17. Four unanswered by the Lopers saw them move out front 22-21 late before a costly attack error leveled the frame at 22. Washburn closed out the first set accounting for the final three points to take a 1-0 match lead.

Early see-saw action in the second set saw each side briefly control the scoreboard before consecutive points allowed UNK a narrow 4-3 lead for the final lead change of the set. Washburn threatened to overtook the lead several times but the Lopers pulled away, winning the set 25-18 to tie the match at 1-1.

After trailing 5-1 to start the third set, Washburn used a 5-1 run its own tying the frame at 12. UNK quickly responded however as a 6-2 run pushed it to 18-14. Washburn then retaliated with back-to-back kills from Makayla Maxwell and Erica Montgomery as part of a 4-0 run leveling the set at 18-18. Trailing 22-19, Berg pushed Washburn out front with four-straight kills giving the Ichabods a slim 23-22 lead. The advantage quickly disappeared as consecutive kills set up set-point for the Lopers at 24-23. The Ichabods managed to prolong the set in search of regaining a lead but it never came to be as their efforts fell short as UNK took third, 29-27.

In the fourth, Washburn played from behind the entire set as UNK led early and never looked back. The Ichabods pulled within two late but as Berg and Carley Swan each tallied kills to make it 22-20 but the Lopers secure the set and match with a 25-22 victory.

Erica Montgomery finished with 12 kills while Allison Sadler has another 40-plus assist outing as she registered 47. Makayla Maxwell recorded a match-best seven blocks.

Washburn will play its final two home matches of the season on Saturday as it hosts Fort Hays State and Oklahoma Baptist. The Ichabods will open the triangular against MIAA foe FHSU, before facing the Bison in non-conference action with the matches slated for 1 and 5 p.m., respectively.