By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Washburn University volleyball began the 2024 season down two sets to none to Sioux Falls Thursday before winning the next three sets and outscoring the Cougars 65-41 to open the season in the win column.
Washburn earned the season-opening victory by set scores of 23-25, 28-30, 25-13, 25-17 and 15-11.
Washburn rallied from an 0-2 deficit to take a season-opening 3-2 win over Sioux Falls Thursday in the Kansas City Classic. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
After the score was tied at two to begin the match Sioux Falls took the next four points to take command early.
Washburn landed six straight points, capped off by an ace from Seaman product Maddie Steiner to take a 12-11 lead. After the set was tied at 14 all the Cougars scored three straight and wouldn't relinquish the lead the rest of the way.
Kills from WU's Alex Dvorak and Jalyn Stevenson pulled the Ichabods within 24-23 before Sioux Falls finished off the set with the next point.
The Cougars carried the momentum into the next set, taking the first five points before two kills from Stevenson put the Ichabods on the board.
Washburn pulled within one point twice before climbing fully back on a 5-0 run capped off by kills from Emery Keebaugh and Brynne Topolski in their collegiate debuts.
Another ace from Steiner set up match point at 24-22 for Washburn before three straight points from Siuox Falls put them in the driver's seat. The Ichabods reached set point once more until the Cougars took two points to win, 30-28.
Washburn began the third set trailing 6-4 before going on a 7-0 run to take control of the set.
After hitting just .115 in the second set, the Ichabods flipped the switch, hitting .394 in the third with just two errors. A 5-0 burst capped off on the defensive end with a block by Dvorak and Austin Broadie put Washburn up by eight. The Ichabods stayed up by at least seven points the rest of the way until Keebaugh finished off the set with a kill to end it at 25-13.
In the fourth set it was the Ichabods who took control early, leading 5-1 after back-to-back aces from Stevenson.
Dvorak knocked down a kill midway through the set to make it a 15-7 set. The Cougars went on a 5-2 run shortly after, pulling within five, but that is as close as the set would get.
Washburn bounced right back, winning four of the next five points to close out the set, 25-17, on an ace from Stevenson.
The match-deciding fifth set began tied at three before Keebaugh and Topolski each knocked down kills to put Washburn up. The Ichabods remained ahead at the side switch, 8-5, after Brodie sent a pass from Sydney Conner to the floor.
Sioux Falls pulled within one point on two occasions but the Ichabods held on, clinching the match on kills from Bella Limback and Broadie.
Washburn hit over .300 as a team in each of the final three sets, landing at .269 for the match with 79 kills. They out-assisted the Cougars 74-55 and came away with a 90-74 advantage in digs. Defensively, they held Sioux Falls to a .190 hitting percentage.
Dvorak and Broadie both had 16 kills to pace all players. Dvorak hit .364 while making five total blocks as well.
Stevenson led a trio of Ichabods to record a double-double as she tallied 12 kills and 17 digs. The senior eclipsed 1,000 for her career in both categories with the performance.
Corinna McMullen led Washburn with 36 assists, adding 13 digs, while Conner also had a double-double with 23 assists and 15 digs, respectively.
Shawnee Heights product Taylor Rottinghaus tallied a team-high 22 digs while adding nine assists.
Freshman Emery Keebaugh contributed 13 kills in her college volleyball debut for Washburn. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
A pair of freshman reached double figures in kills in the season-opener -- Emery Keebaugh with 13 and Brynne Topolski with 11.
Jordan Kuper had a team-high 14 kills while hitting .303 for Sioux Falls in the five-set affair.
The Ichabods turn around for Day 2 of the Kansas City Classic and take on Winona State at 10 a.m. on Friday at Mason-Halpin Field House.
WU soccer drops 2-0 decision in opener
The Washburn Ichabod soccer team opened the 2024 season with a 2-0 loss to the Missouri-St. Louis Tritons Thursday at Yager Stadium.
The Ichabods started the game with offensive pressure, but the Tritons opened the scoring with an unassisted goal from Jada Holloman in the 21st minute.
Washburn entered halftime down 1-0 despite taking six shots to the Tritons' two.
The second half played out similarly, with Missouri-St. Louis adding to its lead with a long goal from Jaycee Cotton in the 90th minute.
Washburn finished the contest out-shooting Missouri-St. Louis, 11-3.
Khloe Schuckman and Viviana Soto-Herrera led the Ichabods in shots with three apiece.
Washburn Rural product Hailey Beck played all 90 minutes in goal, tallying one save.
Mary Kate Neal kept a clean sheet in goal for the Tritons while making three saves.
Washburn will remain at home for a Saturday contest against Maryville University, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m.
