The Kansas University volleyball team came within inches of halting No. 7 Nebraska’s streak of 69 straight wins in the all-time series Wednesday night.

Instead, the Huskers escaped Horejsi Center with their 70th in a row, a 3-1 victory (31-29, 25-30, 30-28, 30-24), because its blockers were a little bit taller and Kansas’ serves were just a hair off the mark.

Nebraska’s 22-3 block advantage and Kansas’ 16 service errors were the difference. Melissa Elmer baffled the KU hitters all night with 15 blocks alone.

“The blocking discrepancy … we got outscored for the match by five points and got outscored blocking by 19,” KU coach Ray Bechard said. “We did some great things in a lot of other phases — we outdug them, had more aces, our hitting efficiency was good enough to win — but when they get 22 instant points from the block, that creates a problem right there.”

Junior Ashley Michaels and senior Sarah Rome helped Kansas keep pace in the first game by pounding four kills apiece, but the Jayhawks’ hitters were too predictable too early, and Nebraska scored on six blocks. KU gave the Huskers six free points because of service errors, and Nebraska escaped.

Falling short seemed to fire up the Jayhawks the rest of the way. Game Two opened with nine ties before the score reached 12-all. They blew the door open with a 12-4 run despite five more blocks by Nebraska. Kills by Rome and junior Lindsey Morris put the game away.

KU’s victory marked the first game it has taken from the Huskers since 1998.

Kansas University's Lindsey Morris, right, reaches for a block against Nebraska's Jennifer Saleaumua. The Huskers defeated the Jayhawks, 3-1, Wednesday night at Horejsi Center.

“It’s one of the first times ever against Nebraska that we’ve taken one of their games,” Michaels said, “and then to be only two points behind in each of the games that we lost, it’s disappointing because we were so close.”

The Jayhawks (11-6 overall, 3-3 Big 12 Conference) took a brief 9-6 lead in Game Three before two more service errors let Nebraska back in the game. Two kills from Jennifer Saleaumua and a 4-1 burst helped the Huskers open a four-point lead.

Kansas played catch-up the rest of the way. Despite seven more blocks, it tied the game at 27 and again at 28 on kills by Rome before letting another close one slip away.

In Game Four, five kills by Saleaumua were enough to counter two from Morris, two from sophomore Josi Lima and one from freshman Janaina Correa. There were 12 ties by the time the score reached 15-all.

The Jayhawks finally ran out of gas. A 7-0 Husker run and three more blocks in its final four points helped Nebraska (15-1, 7-0) polish off the match.

Rome led four Kansas players in double-figure kills with 14. She and junior Jill Dorsey also had 18 digs apiece.

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Statistically, it was an all-around solid night for the Jayhawks, which explains the up-beat nature that most players showed following the loss. The gap between the teams is smaller than in years past, but the result remained the same.

“We came out and played better against them then we have in years,” Morris said. “I think that shows a lot of what we’re capable of.”

Kansas University's Josi Lima, left, Ashley Michaels, center, and Andi Rozum celebrate a kill from Michaels in the Jayhawks' 3-1 match loss to Nebraska. The Huskers won, 31-29, 25-30, 30-28, 30-24 Wednesday at Horejsi Center.