By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn's volleyball season came to an end Friday night with a 3-0 loss to No. 6 Concordia-St. Paul in the NCAA Central Region semifinals.
The Ichabods end the season with a 27-5 record after going 13-3 in the MIAA and winning a share of the MIAA regular-season championship.
Washburn's outstanding 2025 volleyball season ended Friday with a 3-0 loss to Concordia-St. Paul in an NCAA Central Region semifinal. [File photo/TSN]
The Golden Bears (28-5), the No. 2 seed in the region, took control late in the first set and went up 1-0 in the match with a 25-21 win. Sixth-seeded Washburn (27-5) led early in the second set before falling by the same score, 25-21. The Ichabods led deep into the third set but were unable to extend the match, falling 26-24.
Early in the first set it was back-and-forth with eight ties in the first 16 points.
Concordia-St. Paul created some space with three straight points to lead 15-12.
Shortly after Keilah Rivers knocked down a kill that pulled the Ichabods within one point at 17-16. Washburn stayed within two points until the Golden Bears secured the final two points of the set to win 25-21. Both teams hit over .270 in the set to open the match.
After CSP got the first point in the second, Washburn's Brooklyn Morrisey slashed a kill that started a 6-0 run.
Washburn held the lead until the Golden Bears won five straight points to go in front by one, 13-12. The deficit grew to as many as four points but the Ichabods hung around, pulling back within two at 23-21 on a Brynne Topolski kill off an assist from Sydney Conner.
Once again the final two points went to Concordia-St. Paul to win the set.
Washburn jumped in front 7-4 in the third after Austin Broadie connected on a kill. The lead grew to seven points at 14-7 after a six-point burst that began with Morrisey taking a pass from Corinna McMullen to the floor for a kill.
The Golden Bears won six of the next eight points to pull within three at 16-13. The Ichabods recovered, going on a 6-4 run to lead 22-17 after Broadie and Bella Limback combined for a block.
CSP won four straight points, forcing two Washburn timeouts. The Ichabods still were able to reach match point at 24-23 after an attacking error, but the next three points went to the Golden Bears as they closed out the match.
For the match Concordia-St. Paul led in hitting percentage .236 to .191 with 49 kills to 43. The Ichabods led 70-65 in digs but were out-assisted 48-40 and out-aced 6-0.
Broadie and Topolski led the Ichabods with nine kills apiece. Rivers had eight kills with nine digs and Limback had six kills while hitting .462.
Autumn Gibbs led the team with 16 digs and Taylor Rottinghaus had 13.
Conner passed out a team-high 19 assists with seven digs and McMullen had a double-double with 17 assists and 10 digs.
Makenna Nold led Concordia-St. Paul with 16 kills, Cassie Sieling had 19 digs.
