By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 7-ranked Washburn University volleyball opened its MIAA conference schedule at home Friday night with a 3-1 win over Northwest Missouri State in Whiting Fieldhouse.
No. 7-ranked Washburn opened conference play Friday with a four-set win over Northwest Missouri. [File photo/TSN]
The Ichabods will look to continue their winning streak on Saturday as they host No. 24-ranked Missouri Western at 6 p.m.
The Ichabods (12-0 overall, 1-0 MIAA) set the tone for the match, downing the Bearcats (6-4, 0-1) 25-11 in the first set. Northwest Missouri responded with a 25-23 win in the second set before Washburn put the match away with 25-16 and 25-15 victories.
The first three points of the match went to the Ichabods. After the Bearcats pulled within one point at 5-4 a four-point streak, capped off by an ace from Bella Limback, created separation that would last.
Washburn took advantage of errors by Northwest Missouri while also hitting .423 as a team to build a 22-9 lead. Abby Leaf ended the set with a kill on her first swing.
In the second set it was the Bearcats jumping out ahead at 5-2. A Taylor Rottinghaus ace completed a 4-0 run to give the lead back to the Ichabods.
With the Ichabods in front 11-8, a seven point rally from Northwest Missouri began, putting them in front 15-11. They remained in front until consecutive kills by Brynne Topoloski and Austin Broadie knotted the set at 22. The Bearcats recovered with three of the next four points to win, 25-23.
Both sides split the first 16 points of the third set before a kill by Keilah Rivers on a pass by Corinna McMullen jump-starting a four-point streak for Washburn to go in front, 12-8.
Northwest Missouri kept it within four points until the Ichabods ended the set on a six-point run. Natalie Hedlund provided the final point with her kill finding the hardwood at 25-16.
Washburn took the first point of the fourth set and never relinquished the lead, holding off five ties from the Bearcats with the final coming at 11-11.
A kill by Alex Dvorak broke the tie and was the first of five straight points for the Ichabods, who hit .325 as a team in the final set. The final four points of the set and match went to Washburn, ending at 25-15 with an ace by McMullen.
The Ichabods finished the match hitting .329 with 63 kills while holding the Bearcats to just a .109 attacking percentage and 38 kills. Washburn led in digs, 59-52 and had a big lead in assists, 58-38.
Topolski led the offensive attack, slashing 16 kills while hitting .375 to go along with five digs. Broadie and Hedlund added 11 and 10 kills, respectively.
McMullen dished out 27 assists, with 23 coming from Sydney Conner. Rottinghaus scooped up a team-high 16 digs.
Kasidy Mohwinkle led Northwest Missouri with 14 kills and Ella Caffery had 30 assists with 11 digs.
Freshman goalkeeper Lili Everley recorded a career-best five saves in Washburn's 0-0 tie at Central Oklahoma on Friday. [File photo/TSN]
Ichabod soccer, Bronchos tie 0-0
Washburn soccer battled Central Oklahoma to an 0-0 tie on the road Friday in the Ichabods' MIAA opener.
"I thought our ladies did an amazing job of getting a tough road point to start conference," said Washburn Davy Phillips."We stayed disciplined to our game model, and I thought we grew into the game really well.
"I'm excited to see us continue to grow through these positive learning environments to see who we can ultimately become this season."
In the first half, Washburn recorded one shot, which was on target by Aubrey Tanksley.
Freshman goalkeeper Lili Everley had three saves in the first half to keep the match square heading into the break.
The Ichabods took four more shots in the second half, with three of them being on goal. Everley recorded two more saves to finish with five saves on the night, the most she has had in a game in her young career.
Washburn will be back on the road on Sunday, traveling to Wichita to take on Newman, with kickoff set for 1 p.m.
