By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Twelve matches into its 2024 season Washburn University volleyball will encounter a new experience Thursday night ... a home match.
After playing 12 straight matches away from home, Washburn volleyball will make its Lee Arena debut at 6 p.m. Thursday against Pittsburg State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods will finally make their Lee Arena debut at 6 p.m. on Thursday against MIAA foe Pittsburg State, followed by a Friday night conference match against Newman.
"It's going to be fun, it's going to be cool,'' Washburn coach Chris Herron said. "I know our freshmen are looking forward to it. They've never been around it, so they get a chance to witness and feel the crowd and it's going to be really cool for us.
"I'm excited about the fact that we get to play at home finally.''
Freshman Brynne Topolski, a Lincoln, Neb. native, agreed.
"Since it is going to be our first home game, I'm super-excited to be able to see what the atmosphere is like,'' Topolski said. "I've heard it's great but I'm excited to see in person how the atmosphere is, how loud it gets in here and how excited everyone gets to be able to play at home.''
Washburn is 9-3 on the year after losing a pair of five-set matches last weekend on the road to both Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western in the opening weekend of MIAA play.
"I really liked our effort,'' Herron, in his 23rd season as the Ichabods' coach. "There was no letdown in effort or anything like that and if we play like that the rest of the year we're going to be good.''
Senior Jalyn Stevenson is the WU team leader with 134 kills (2.98 per set) while hititng .227 across her 12 starts. The Spring Hill product is also second on the squad in digs with 139 and in service aces with 11. She is ninth in the MIAA in kills and 15th in kills per set. She is top-20 in both digs and digs per set as well. The senior has five double-doubles on the year.
Stevenson ranks 21st in program history with 1,124 career kills. She needs 25 more to crack the top 20. She is also tied for 14th on the program charts in aces and 22nd in digs. She needs 73 digs to reach the top 20.
Junior Alex Dvorak is third on the team with 92 kills while hitting .385, the second highest mark on the team. Dvorak has started all 12 matches and also leads the team with 58 total blocks. The junior is 30th in the nation and fourth in the MIAA. She has hit over .300 in nine of 12 matches.
Sophomore Taylor Rottinghaus, a former Shawnee Heights standout, has a team-high 214 digs (4.76 per set) across 12 matches. She has chipped in 47 assists and served nine aces. Rottinghaus is 31st in the nation and third in the MIAA in digs per set while ranking fourth among conference players in total digs. She has recorded 20-plus digs in three of the last four matches.
Corinna McMullen paces Washburn with 277 assists and is also third on the team with 99 digs while adding a team-high 17 aces. The junior is 10th in the MIAA in assists per set, ninth in total assists and sixth in aces. She has three double-doubles on the year and three matches with at least 30 assists.
McMullen is 12th in program history in total assists with 1,706. She also ranks 21st in program history in service aces with 99. She needs two more to enter the top 20.
Junior Bella Limback leads the Ichabod hitters with a .413 attacking percentage while starting all 12 matches. She has tallied 88 kills and is second on the team with 48 blocks. The junior's hitting percentage is 15th highest in the nation and second in the MIAA. She is also top-10 in the conference in total blocks and blocks per set. Limback has hit over .400 in six matches on the year.
Senior Austin Broadie is second on the team in kills and third in hitting percentage while playing all 12 matches and making three starts. She has 105 kills while hitting .322 and has racked up 27 total blocks. Broadie has hit over .400 in four matches and has double-digit kills in three of the last four matches.
Topolski has started in seven matches and played in 11 during her freshman season, logging 86 kills (2.39 per set) while hitting .271. She has added 20 blocks and 26 digs. In each of her last two matches she has recorded at least 12 kills.
Pittsburg State enters Thurday's match with a 6-6 record overall and a 1-1 mark in the MIAA after falling 3-0 to No. 13 Central Oklahoma on Sept. 28.
Vix Vilott leads the Gorilla in kills with 115 on the year while hitting .148 and starting all 12 matches. She has served 11 aces and is third on the team with 126 digs.
Jesa Wallace leads the Pittsburg State passing attack with 226 assists while playing in 11 matches and starting seven. She has made 87 digs and served five aces. She ranks seventh in the MIAA in assists per set.
Washburn leads Pittsburg State 65-22 in the all-time series and are 32-5 in Lee Arena.
The Ichabods have won the last 30 matches between the two schools, including a pair of 3-1 sweeps last season.
Newman is 2-13 on the year and 0-2 in the MIAA after being swept by Arkansas-Fort Smith on Sept. 28.
Ozioma Ajekwu leads the Jets with 143 kills while hitting a team-high .344. She is second on the team with 34 blocks. Her hitting percentage is sixth in the conference.
Natalie Trigo has 235 digs across 15 matches to lead Newman on the defensive end. Trigo has added 12 assists and eight aces and is third in the MIAA in total digs.
Washburn leads the all-time series over Newman 21-5 and are 8-1 in Lee Arena. The Ichabods have won the last 19 matches including a pair of sweeps last season.
Thursday's match is Hometown Hero Appreciation day and will feature free admission for all military, first responders and healthcare workers with a valid ID.
For Friday's match, the first 100 students who attend will recieve a free McDonalds coupon for various menu items.
Washburn will face Emporia State at home on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. mid-week match.
