Inconsistent play and a lack of depth led to the Kansas University volleyball team’s fourth loss of the season and third loss in Big 12 Conference play.

The Jayhawks fell to Nebraska on Saturday night in four games (16-30, 30-26, 22-30, 15-30) at Horejsi Center. The match was KU’s first without junior Jana Correa, who was injured in the first game of the Jayhawks’ loss Wednesday to Kansas State.

“Jana’s an inspiration player; you can’t replace her that way,” KU sophomore Emily Brown said. “And we all wanted to play for Jana, too, knowing that she’s out for the season.”

It was evident Correa was on the minds of the players when fellow Brazilian Josi Lima gave Correa her ball that each starter throws to fans before the game.

Junior Megan Hill replaced Correa in the lineup and earned positive reviews.

“Megan Hill did a great job,” Brown said, “the way she goes to work hard every day at practice and finally getting her chance now.”

Hill had a career-high with six kills against a Nebraska defense that had 22 team blocks.

Kansas University outside hitter Paula Caten digs the ball against Nebraska while teammate Jamie Mathewson, left, watches. The Cornhuskers beat the Jayhawks, 3-1, Saturday night at Horejsi Center.

“There wasn’t a lot to lose, but there was a lot to define about how we’re going to play without Correa, however long that may be,” KU coach Ray Bechard said of going up against Nebraska, the nation’s No. 1 team. “We had some really good performances from some people stepping up in her absence.”

The best performance on the night for Kansas was a 16-kill match for Brown, two of which started the first and third games.

“That’s what we need from Emily every night out,” Bechard said. “And that’s what she needs to understand. Obviously, people are going to key in on Lima, and that’s going to open up some things for other people, but we’ve got to take advantage of that.”

Unfortunately for the Jayhawks, Brown’s great play was negated by 41 attack errors and 13 service errors.

The worst of KU’s games was the first when its attacking percentage was negative-.103 by forcing 11 errors and racking up only eight kills.

KU won Game Two, however, by limiting its errors to four and amounting 19 kills.

“Game One, we were looking to see what they (Nebraska) were going to do,” Lima said. “And then Game Two, we already knew and we just came out really strong. And Games Three and Four we had too many errors.”

Lima actually was responsible for seven of the 23 errors in the final two games and had a team-leading 11 errors on the night.

Kansas is in the middle of its most difficult stretch of its schedule. The Jayhawks will follow their matches against No. 20 Kansas State and No. 1 Nebraska with a clash against No. 7 Missouri on Saturday in Columbia, Mo.

“Coach said he saw a lot of great things today, and we have a whole week off next week to prepare for them,” Brown said of the Tigers. “So (by) just working on our side, we should be fine.”