By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University volleyball posted its fourth straight win and ninth sweep of the season on Friday, dispatching Fort Hays State in three sets on Friday night.
Junior Bella Limback led Washburn with 12 kills in Friday's 3-0 MIAA sweep over Fort Hays State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods will face their first ranked opponent of the season on Saturday, taking on No. 3-ranked Nebraska Kearney on the road.
After taking Friday's first set, 25-22, Washburn (13-3 overall, 4-2 MIAA) worked quicker in each of the next two sets, winning 25-21 in the second and 25-15 to close out the night.
Austin Broadie led off the match with a kill and five points later a slam from Keilah Rivers made it a 5-1 set.
The Ichabods doubled up the Tigers (9-6, 1-5 MIAA) at 14-7 after an ace from Seaman product Maddie Steiner.
Fort Hays State began to make up ground, pulling within one on two occasions before finally tying the set at 20 after a 4-0 run.
After the set was tied at 22 Washburn took advantage of an attacking error and won the final three points as Emma Williams wrapped up the set with an ace.
In the second set a string of five points in a row for the Ichabods put them up 6-2 early, capped off by a block from Rivers and Bella Limback.
The Tigers pulled within one before another Washburn run, this time of six in a row featuring two kills each for Jalyn Stevenson and and Alex Dvorak.
The Ichabods hit .257 as a team in the set with 16 kills as the offense held off a late run down the stretch with Limback ending the set on a kill.
Back-to-back aces from Stevenson put Washburn up 7-3 to start the third set.
A pair of kills from Limback and an ace from Steiner made it 11-5. Fort Hays State pulled within three but three more aces in a row from Stevenson re-gained control of the set.
The Ichabods held the Tigers to a .088 hitting percentage and just six kills in the third set as they pushed the lead to double-digits with the last point at 25-15.
Washburn hit .217 as a team in the match with 45 kills while holding Fort Hays State to a .136 percentage with 30 kills to 15 errors. The Ichabods out-dug the Tigers 57-43 and held a 43-28 advantage in assists.
Limback hit a sizzling .733 for the match with a team-high 12 kills while adding three blocks.
Corinna McMullen led the way with 23 assists while adding seven digs and Shawnee Heights product Taylor Rottinghaus paced the squad with 17 digs. Stevenson did a bit of everything with nine kills, 12 digs and five aces.
Gracie Rains and Grace Schmedding each had eight kills to lead Fort Hays State on offense.
