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By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

After a brief stop at home Tuesday against Central Missouri, No. 13-ranked Washburn University volleyball is back on the road to begin a season-long four-match road trip, facing Central Oklahoma and Newman on Friday and Saturday.

Washburn volleyball celebrates a point during Tuesday's 3-1 win over Central Missouri. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN] 

The Ichabods will face the Bronchos at 6 p.m. on Friday before taking on the Jets at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Washburn is 17-3 on the year overall and 5-1 in the MIAA after defeating Central Missouri 3-1 last time out in a non-conference match.

"We're excited about the win,'' Washburn coach Chris Herron said after Tuesday's match. "But here's the thing, the coach wasn't very intelligent because he shouldn't have scheduled this match. Now we've got this long road trip ahead of us and our bodies are tired.

"I'm giving them the day off (Wednesday) and we're going to go from there.''

Central Oklahoma enters Friday's match with a 14-5 overall record and 3-2 mark in the MIAA, while Newman is 6-14 on the year and 1-4 in the MIAA.

Junior Brynne Topolski leads the Ichabods with 224 kills (3.25 per set) while also hitting a team-high .292. She has added 102 digs along with making 42 blocks, second most on the team.

The Lincoln, Neb. native has recorded double-figure kills in 13 matches with one double-double. She is fourth in the MIAA in kills per set while ranking sixth in the conference in points per set.

Junior Emma Siron has registered 207 kills (3.14 per set) while hitting .209 on the outside. She has served a team-high 25 aces and also scooping 171 digs and making 21 blocks. She also ranks third on the team with 92 assists.

The Sedalia, Mo. native has tallied 10 double-digit kill matches with nine double-doubles.

Shawnee Heights senior product Taylor Rottinghaus has recorded a team-high 313 digs (4.82 per set) at libero and has seven matches with 20-plus digs. Rottinghaus has also added 52 assists with 19 aces served. The senior ranks third in the MIAA in digs per set.

Sophomore Brooklyn Morrisey is second on the team with a .285 hitting percentage and has slashed 131 kills and leads the team with 71 blocks.

Aftere dropping a 25-22 first-set decision to Central Missouri on Tuesday reeled off 25-11, 25-12 and 25-17 wins in the ensuing three sets to secure the victory.  

Freshman Hayden Meats led the offense with 12 kills as she added nine digs.

Morrisey slashed 10 kills and hit .529 with five blocks while Siron had eight kills while hitting .500 along with 20 assists and 11 digs.

Rottinghaus scooped up 18 digs.  

Washburn stays on the road to take on Missouri Western and Fort Hays State next weekend.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Coming off a disappointing 5-2 road loss Tuesday night at Wichita Bishop Carroll, Washburn Rural's boys soccer team was in need of a bounce-back win Thursday.

Senior star Brodye Kocher-Munoz made sure that happened, scoring all five of the Junior Blues' goals in a 5-0 Centennial League win over Manhattan at McElroy Field.

Washburn Rural coach Brian Hensyel waits to congratulate Brodye Kocher-Munoz after the senior star scored his fifth goal in Thursday's 5-0 win over Manhattan. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Kocher-Munoz scored the only goal the Junior Blues would need at the 21:52 mark of the first half and had a hat trick by halftime, scoring his second and third goals of the night 21 seconds apart at the 4:45 and 4:24 mark.

Kocher-Munoz added his fourth goal at the 29:12 mark of the second half and picked up goal No. 5 with 9:18 remaining before Rural coach Brian Hensyel removed him from the game.

Washburn Rural senior Brodye Kocher-Munoz receives a hug from coach Brian Hensyel after scoring a career-high five goals, one off the school record. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

"I feel like if we score first, the energy just keeps building up and we just keep bringing it on teams, so that was the motivation tonight,'' Kocher-Munoz said.

"I just found out how to get open and just had to come up and bury them in the back of the net.''

Hensyel said that the Junior Blues count a lot on Kocher-Munoz to come through.

"He's one of the returning guys from last year's (state championhip) team that was very special and he made a lot of plays last year,'' Hensyel said. "It's hard to be the guy that everybody knows is trying to attack and knows is the person that we need, but that's his job.

"He knows that, so it was nice to see him tonight play a really good game.''

Senior Myles Didde (right) registered two assists in Washburn Rural's 5-0 Centennial League win over Manhattan Thursday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN] 

Senior Myles Didde was credited with a pair of assists for the Junior Blues while juniors Miles Doyal and Kaden Myers combined for the shutout in goal as Washburn Rural improved to 5-5-2 overall and 3-0 in the Centennial League.

"We've just got to get rolling in the right direction,'' Hensyel said. "We want to win the league, but outside of that it's all about the end of the year for us. That's how it always has been.

"We may have to go on the road (in postseason), which is kind of unusual for us, but I still think we're capable and I tell these guys every day, in a one-game scenario is there anybody in the state you couldn't beat one night, one game and I think we could be in any game with any team, so that means anything's possible.''

The Junior Blues will return to action next Tuesday, traveling to Emporia for a Centennial League contest.

WASHBURN RURAL 5, MANHATTAN 0

Manhattan (4-7-0, 2-2-0)         0 0 -- 0

Washburn Rural (5-5-2, 3-0-0) 3 2 -- 5

Washburn Rural -- Goals: Brodye Kocher-Munoz 5. Assists: Myles Didde 2. Shutout: Myles Doyal, Kaden Myers.

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

CLAREMORE, Okla. – The No. 18-ranked Washburn University women's soccer team defeated Rogers State 4-0 on Friday night at Soldier Field, improving to 10-1-1 overall and 6-1 in MIAA play while Rogers State falls to 4-5-2 overall and 2-4 in conference play.

Washburn soccer improved to 10-1-1 with Friday's 4-0 win at Rogers State. [File photo/TSN]

Washburn was unable to score in the first half despite outshooting Rogers State, 13-4.

The Ichabods and Hillcats remained scoreless until the 59th minute, when freshman Avery McCorry scored her sixth goal of the season to give Washburn the lead.

Haley Thomsen extended the Ichabods advantage with goals in the 74th and 75th minute, putting the match out of reach.

Brooke Willcott scored her first career goal in the 82nd minute to extend Washburn's lead to the 4-0 final.

Washburn outshot Rogers State 29-9, including a 13-4 advantage in shots on goal.

Thomsen scored her first multi-goal game, scoring twice.

Washburn improved to 6-0-1 all-time against Rogers State.

With its 10th win of the season, Washburn remained in first place in the MIAA standings with 18 points.

Washburn will face in-state MIAA opponent Emporia State on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the ESU Soccer Pitch.