By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Fort Hays State enters Friday's match 13-4 overall and 2-3 inside the MIAA, while the Lopers are a perfect 18-0 and 5-0 in the MIAA entering the week.
The Ichabods enter the weekend with a 15-1 record overall and a 4-1 mark in the MIAA after completing a three-match road trip with a 3-0 sweep over Emporia State on Tuesday.
"We played great, I thought we played really well,'' Washburn coach Chris Herron said.
Senior Austin Broadie said Tuesday's win should give the Ichabods momentum going into this weekend's matches.
"It does for sure,'' Broadie said. "Maybe it will make people a little bit scared of us if they look and check what happened (Tuesday), so it's a lot of momentum.''
Broadie leads the Washburn offense with 185 kills (3.49 per set) while hitting .384, third best on the team. She has started all 16 matches and has logged 33 blocks with 38 digs.
Broadie has nine double-digit kill matches and ranks 20th nationally in hitting percentage and third in the MIAA. She is second among conference players in kills per set.
Bella Limback is slashing a team-high .546 with 103 kills (2.02 per set) while playing and starting in all 16 matches. She has also added 57 blocks, a team high and served seven aces. She has hit over .400 in all but two matches this season with two double-digit kill efforts. Limback leads the nation in hitting percentage and is fifth in the MIAA in total blocks and fourth in blocks per set.
Alex Dvorak is second on the team with 55 blocks (1.08 per set) on the season while starting all 16 matches. Offensively she has made 99 kills (1.94 per set) along with hitting .438, second best on the team. She has recorded five or more blocks in seven matches. The senior ranks fourth in the nation and second in the MIAA in hitting percentage. She is also fifth in the MIAA in blocks per set.
Corinna McMullen has started all 16 matches this season to lead Washburn with 341 assists. She has also chipped in 17 service aces while ranking second on the team with 133 digs. The senior has delivered nine matches of 20-plus assists and six double-doubles.
Taylor Rottinghaus leads the team with 210 digs (3.96 per set). She has chipped in 66 assists while serving a team-high 19 aces. The junior has two matches with at least 20 digs. She ranks eighth in the MIAA in digs per set and 10th in total digs.
Brynne Topolski is second on the Ichabods with 127 kills while hitting .284. She has come off the bench in all 16 matches while making 33 blocks with 26 digs. She has four matches with double-digit kills.
Washburn leads the nation with a .308 team hitting percentage and the Ichabods are ninth nationally and second among MIAA teams with 2.59 blocks per set.
On the defensive side Washburn is limiting opponents to a .109 hitting percentage, good for fourth nationally and first in the MIAA.
The Ichabods are dishing out 13.81 assists per set on offense, good for third in the nation and second in the MIAA.
Washburn knocks down 14.70 kills per set to rank fourth in NCAA D-II and second among MIAA programs.
Fort Hays State fell 3-0 to No. 2 Nebraska Kearney on Tuesday.
Ashlyn Reeves leads the Tigers with 152 kills and is hitting a team-high .317. She has started all 17 matches while making a team-high 51 blocks.
Kirsten Evans paces FHSU with 227 digs and has served a team-high 30 aces with 49 assists. She is second in the MIAA in aces per set and eighth in total digs.
Abrey Galt has started in 13 of 17 matches and leads the team with 377 assists. She has added 27 kills, 17 aces and 140 digs.
Washburn has a 49-24 edge in the all-time series after winning the last two meetings. The Ichabods are 27-11 against the Tigers in Topeka.
Carly Purdy leads Nebraska-Kearney with 202 kills while hitting .266. She has started all 18 matches while also scooping 44 digs and making 28 blocks.
Peyton Neff controls the offense with 635 assists while starting all 18 matches. She has served 13 aces and made 37 kills while scooping 138 digs. She leads the MIAA and is sixth in the nation in total assists.
Ellie Spang leads the back row defense with 252 digs and has served a team-high 16 aces and assisted on 53 kills.
Nebraska-Kearney leads the all-time series between the programs, 33-15. Washburn is 8-9 against the Lopers in Topeka.
Washburn remains at home next week, beginning with a 6 p.m. Thursday match against Central Missouri.