No. 12 Ichabod volleyball returns to Lee Arena for pair of weekend MIAA matches

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

No. 12-ranked Washburn University volleyball returns home this weekend to host Missouri Western on Friday before wrapping up the week against No. 23-ranked Central Missouri on Saturday.

Washburn sophomore Jalyn Stevenson (10) is coming off a big performance in Tuesday's five-set win at Nebraska-Kearney. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics] 

Friday's match is set for 6 p.m. while Saturday's match will get under way at 2 p.m.

Washburn is coming off a big five-set victory at No. 5 Nebraska-Kearney on Tuesday to improve to 14-3 overall and 6-3 in the MIAA.

Missouri Western (5-12, 2-7 MIAA) and Central Misouri (11-6, 6-2 MIAA) faced each other on Tuesday, with the Jennies coming away with the sweep.

The Griffons have not won a true road match this year and are 0-4.

The conference standings are tightly contested between six teams as Central Oklahoma (8-2 MIAA) leads the way and Pittsburg State (6-4 MIAA) is sixth with four teams sandwiched in between.

Washburn is currently fifth with a 6-3 mark.

Saturday's match will be Washburn's fourth match against a Top-25 ranked team. The Ichabods are 2-1 so far against ranked opponents.

UCM is 3-2 in road matches.

The Ichabods have played only three matches in Lee Arena this fall and are 2-1.

Washburn leads the MIAA with 1.77 aces per set and the Ichabods have landed three or more service aces in every match this season and have had five double-digit ace matches.

Sophie McMullen has a conference-best 30 service aces in 62 sets played.

For the second time this season, Washburn defeated Nebraska-Kearney in a five-set marathon in Tuesday's match, taking a 22-25, 25-19, 25-21, 19-25, and 15-12 decision.

Sophomore Jalyn Stevenson turned in a career night against UNK as she knocked down a personal-best 19 kills and hit .366 while adding 14 digs and four blocks.

Austin Broadie and Taryn Pridgett also achieved new career-highs in kills with 12 and nine, respectively.

Freshman setter Corinna McMullen dished out a season-high 35 assists and scooped up 10 digs against the Lopers.

S. McMullen led all players in the match with 24 digs and Sydney Pullen racked up 21 digs.

Stevenson leads the team with 182 kills and her 2.98 kills per set ranks ninth among MIAA players. She has registered 13 matches with eight or more kills, including nine in double-figures. Stevenson is also second on the team with 19 service aces and is third in total digs with 153 (2.51 digs/set).

Pullen leads the team with 266 total digs (4.22 digs per set/10th in MIAA). She has had 15 double-figure dig matches with six being 20-plus dig performances.

S. McMullen leads the team with 377 assists (5.89 assists/set) and also scoops up an average of 1.94 digs per set and has a team-best five double-doubles this year. Sydney Conner shares the role of setter and has tallied 311 assists (4.86 assists/set) and averages 1.84 digs per set.

The Ichabods will play two road matches next week, first at Fort Hays State on Oct. 11 and then at Northwest Missouri on Oct. 14.