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Searcey stars as WU soccer runs unbeaten streak to seven games with 2-0 win at Pitt State
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn Ichabod soccer team completed an undefeated MIAA weekend Sunday at Pittsburg State as sophomore Sam Searcey scored both goals in a 2-0 shutout over the Gorillas.
Sophomore Sam Searcey scored both Washburn goals in Sunday's 2-0 win at Pittsburg State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn is unbeaten in seven straight games, while allowing just one goal.
"A great team performance from us today,'' Washburn coach Davy Phillips said. "We were able to force the game into places we felt comfortable in the first half, and in the second half, we grinded out an important team win.
"I'm so proud of the team for this weekend's performance."
Washburn would break through in the 33rd minute with Searcey's first goal of the day.
Washburn was held to four shots in the half, with two being on goal. Ichabod goalkeeper Lili Everley had one first-half save, as Pitt State had six shots in the half.
Washburn would continue to defend their goal, and in the 84th minute, Searcey would score her second goal of the game and fourth on the year to put away the Gorillas.
Washburn faced 13 shots from the Gorillas, and Everley would record five second-half saves for a total of six on the day.
Washburn heads back home, where the Ichabods will host Northeastern State at 6 p.m. on Friday night at Yager Stadium.
The Ichabods will host Rogers State next Sunday at 1 p.m.
Graf, Anderson share top city cross country laurels with dominate Rural teams
By CHARLES SPURLOCK
Special to TopSports.news
For a second consecutive Saturday, Seaman High School hosted a cross country meet in north Topeka.
Washburn Rural senior Emily Graf won the city individual cross country title Saturday, leading the Junior Blues to their seventh straight team title. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman senior Brody Anderson won his second straight city individual cross country title Saturday. [File photo/TSN]
Last week, it was the Seaman Invitational. This week, the city championships at Shawnee County North Park, with Washburn Rural's girls and boys sweeping the team championships.
Rural's boys stretched their city meet winning streak to 19 straight seasons while the Junior Blue girls won their seventh straight crown.
In the girls race, Washburn Rural senior Emily Graf won the city championship in a time of 19:18.57. It was her first race since the Shufelberger Top City Classic on the third week of September due to an injury.
“Coming back from a hip injury I’ve had over the past three weeks, it felt great to come out, run and get the win,” Graf said.
Graf was joined by three of her teammates in the top five -- freshman Alyson Hinck (second in 19:38.05), senior Kenzie Maddox (fourth in 19:44.75) and sophomore Reese Beardslee (fifth in 19:57.07). Overall, the Jr. Blues had eleven girls finish in the top 20 to earn city medals.
The only non-Washburn Rural runner to finish in the top five was Seaman junior Brynn Spencer. She was pleased with her third-place finish, where she also finished last week in the Seaman Invitational, but was able to trim almost 25 seconds off her time in the city meet.
“I’m very proud of myself for improving my time from last week and I knew I had a chance to be top three and break up the Washburn Rural girls a little bit,'' Spencer said. "They provide great competition so I wanted to stay up with them throughout the race.”
Spencer was joined by four teammates as medalists -- junior Kinley Robinson (ninth in 21:29.35), junior Hannah Wempe (10th in 21:42.04), junior Jaydin Frickey (16th in 23:23.29) and sophomore Avery Villines (19th in 24:17.54).
Other medalists included Hayden junior Sofia Harper (seventh in 20:34.43), Topeka West freshman Phebe Phelps (12th in 22:34.71), Shawnee Heights freshman Kendall Lewis (15th in 23:04.35) and Topeka senior Breanna Maldonado (20th in 24:28.02).
In the boys race, Seaman senior Brody Anderson won his fourth race of the season, breaking the course record in a time of 15:00.11.
“I knew after last week, I knew the course was fast. Coach (Luke) Wiens and I were planning to come out, run fast and set a PR,” Anderson said.
Being so close to breaking the fifteen minute barrier was a hope of Anderson.
“I was close to the fourteen mark, I know I’m fit enough to do it, but things happen for a reason.”
Washburn Rural senior Brooks Kehoe finished second in Saturday's city cross country meet, leading the Junior Blues to their 19th straight city team title. [File photo/TSN]
The winning Washburn Rural team had the next four finishers to round out the top five -- senior Brooks Kehoe (second in 16:10.45), sophomore Duke Graf (third in 16:46.96), sophomore Clayton Fink (fourth in 16:52.01) and sophomore Jaxson Adams (fifth in 17:03.47). The Jr. Blues had eight other runners finish in the top twenty as medalists.
Hayden had two runners finish in the top ten -- sophomore Nick Newkirk finished sixth (17:04.74) and senior Connor Baldwin finished seventh (17:06.38).
Shawnee Heights’ senior Max Esquibel finished eighth in a time of 17:07.46.
Seaman had two other medalists -- junior Conner Bloom finished ninth in 17:13.81 and senior Drake Spurlock finished 20th with a time of 17:46.87.
Topeka sophomore Easton Davis finished in 17th in 17:33.64 while junior Ezra Phelps of Topeka West finished 18th with a time of 17:36.33.
No. 9 Washburn volleyball records fifth straight sweep in win over No. 2 Lopers
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 9-ranked Washburn University volleyball picked up its first victory of the year over a nationally ranked team in dominant fashion on Saturday afternoon in Whiting Fieldhouse, knocking off No. 2 Nebraska-Kearney in three sets.
Washburn volleyball knocked off No. 2 Nebraska-Kearney for its fifth straight sweep Saturday at Whiting Fieldhouse. [File photo/TSN]
It was a back-and-forth affair in the first set, but after coming away with a 25-21 win, Washburn (17-1 overall, 6-1 in the MIAA) didn't look back, winning 25-13 and 25-14 in the final two sets over the Lopers (18-2, 5-2 MIAA) to post its fifth straight 3-0 sweep.
The win over Nebraska-Kearney was the highest-ranked victory for Washburn since Sept. 18, 2021 when the Ichabods also defeated the Lopers, who were ranked No. 1 in the nation at the time.
The Ichabods' 17-1 start matches the best start to a season since 2021 when Washburn also began the season 17-1.
Within the first 16 points of the match there were six ties as both sides traded blows. A eight-point rally from the Ichabods began with Brynne Topolski slashing a kill and ended at 14-8 after Austin Broadie delivered back-to-back kills.
Nebraska-Kearney came nearly all the way back, getting within one point, but Washburn had an answer, landing four straight points with a block by Limback and Keilah Rivers capping off the rally. Broadie eventually landed another kill to end the set at 25-21.
The momentum carried over into the second set for the Ichabods as they jumped out to a 6-0 run with the last three points all coming from Alex Dvorak on a solo block and two kills. Also at the net, Limback and Emery Keebaugh combined for a block to make it 10-2 and force another Loper timeout. Washburn eventually pushed the lead to double-digits at 22-12 before taking three of the final four points to win 25-13.
