By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- The 2024 season for Washburn University volleyball came to an end in the NCAA Central Region semifinals as the Ichabods fell 3-2 to No. 6-ranked Central Oklahoma on Friday afternoon.
Washburn University volleyball ended its season 21-8 after a five-set Central Region semifinal loss to Central Oklahoma on Friday. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods end the season with a 21-8 record and the program's 18th trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Washburn took the first set from the 32-2 Bronchos 25-20 before falling in each of the next two sets 25-21 and 25-18. The Ichabods forced a fifth set with a 25-19 win in the fourth but came up short in the fifth as Central Oklahoma won 15-8.
Both teams traded points to begin the match as they split the first 16 points.
A service error for Central Oklahoma began a 4-0 Ichabod run to put them ahead 12-9.
A kill by Jalyn Stevenson made it 19-15 but the lead never grew to more than four until Taryn Pridgett ended the set with a kill at 25-20. The Ichabods hit .283 in the set with 18 kills.
The second set began the same way with both teams splitting the first 20 points of the match to leave it tied at 10.
A three-point run by the Bronchos put them ahead 16-13 and created separation.
The lead remained intact even with a 3-0 burst by Washburn beginning with a kill from Austin Broadie to leave the score 20-19. After pulling within one once again Central Oklahoma ended the set at 25-21 with three straight kills.
Kills by Stevenson and Broadie put the Ichabods in front 9-6 in the third set.
The Bronchos responded right back with five of the next six points to take the lead.
Washburn went in front once more before a 6-0 Central Oklahoma burst created a five-point advantage for the No. 2 seed in the region.
The Bronchos' offense continued to churn, hitting .333 in the set with 15 kills as they worked a 25-18 victory to go up 2-1 in the match.
The Ichabods trailed by three in the fourth until three straight points beginning with a kill by Emery Keebaugh tied things up. They went in front shortly after with a four-point burst starting with a kill via Alex Dvorak on a Corinna McMullen pass.
After trailing by four Central Oklahoma came back to tie it at 15 and would tie it twice more but each time Washburn had an answer. The final answer began with a kill from Pridgett to spark a 6-0 run to set up set point for Keebaugh to finish it out with a kill.
The Bronchos jumped out to a 7-4 lead in the fifth set as they hit an efficient .444 in the frame. A service error put Washburn within two points but that was as close as they would get with Central Oklahoma finishing on a 4-1 run to clinch the match.
Pridgett led Washburn with 15 kills while Stevenson had a 14-kill double-double, adding 13 digs. Broadie had 14 kills and Keebaugh and Dvorak also finished with double-figure kills at 11 and 10, respectively.
McMullen and Sydney Conner each had double-doubles from setter, McMullen with 33 and 13 while Conner posted 22 and 20. Taylor Rottinghaus had a team-high 24 digs.
Jenna Karp was one of four Bronchos in double-figures for kills as she had 20 on .353 hitting. Lindsey Houran had a 62-assist and 12-dig double-double.
