By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 12-ranked Washburn volleyball used an efficient offensive attack to cruise to a 3-0 MIAA victory over Emporia State on Tuesday evening at Lee Arena.
The Ichabods won by the set scores of 25-12, 25-23, and 25-14 to improve their record to 18-4 overall and 10-4 in the MIAA.
Washburn volleyball celebrates a point in Tuesday's 3-0 home MIAA sweep over Emporia State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn's Halle Meister (16) and Sophie McMullen block an Emporia State kill attempt in Tuesday's 3-0 WU sweep.[Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Washburn led from start to finish in the opening set. The Ichabods used a 9-1 run midway through the frame to go up, 17-8, and then pushed the lead to double-figures with a 6-1 run to make it 23-11.
The Ichabods won, 25-12, claiming the last two points with a kill from Sophie McMullen and a Hornet attacking error.
The second set saw three lead changes and nine ties during the game. Emporia State (4-19, 1-13 MIAA) took its largest lead of the night at 14-10 after five unanswered points.
Washburn slowly closed the gap and leveled the score at 20-all with a 3-0 mini run.
The teams took turns scoring over the next six points before the Ichabods won three in a row to close out the 25-23 set victory, capped off by Chloe Paschal's service ace to go up 2-0 in the match.
The Ichabods rattled off the first four points of the third set and increased their lead to 9-4 with a 4-0 run. Washburn continued its attack and went on a 6-1 run to go up 19-10, earning each point on kills from five different Ichabods. Washburn wrapped up the sweep with four consecutive points in the 25-14 win.
Washburn finished the match just two points shy of its season-high with a .359 attacking percentage while limiting Emporia State to hitting .124.
The Ichabods led in every stat category, including kills (44-30), digs (48-33), and aces (7-2).
Nine Ichabods recorded at least one kill, with six players hitting above .500 for the night.
Washburn's Kealy Kiviniemi goes to the floor to attempt a return in Tuesday's 3-0 WU sweep over Emporia State. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Kealy Kiviniemi led the way with nine kills on 15 swings and one error for a .533 attacking percentage. S. McMullen chipped in seven kills and seven digs.
Jalyn Stevenson and Halle Meister each had six kills and Stevenson scooped up a team-best 14 digs.
Corinna McMullen finished with 31 assists, five digs, three kills on four attempts, and one ace.
For the Hornets, Ainslee Stepp and Leah Mach had seven kills apiece.
Washburn will remain at home to host a pair of matches for Homecoming weekend, first against No. 19 Central Oklahoma on Friday evening before wrapping up the week against Newman on Saturday.
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