The seventh-ranked Ichabods enter the weekend in a five-way tie for first place and they'll look to break away from that group as they host two teams at Schendel Court in Lee Arena. Washburn (13-1, 5-1 MIAA) hosts Central Oklahoma, also 5-1 in the league, at 6 p.m. Friday and then Saturday the Bods host Missouri Southern at 6 p.m.
Ichablogging Weekly Notes
No. 7 Washburn will finish its four-match home stand with matches at Schendel Court in Lee Arena Friday at 6 p.m. against Central Oklahoma and Saturday at 6 p.m. against Missouri Southern.
The Ichabods swept three MIAA opponents last week including then-No. 16 Central Missouri. They also beat Fort Hays State and Lindenwood and are 13-1 overall and in a five-way tie for first in the league with a 5-1 record.
UCO is also 13-1 and 5-1 in the league and was undefeated until a loss last week to MWSU. Missouri Southern is 4-10 and 1-5 in the league after getting its first MIAA win in three years at Pittsburg State.
Leanna Willer was named MIAA hitter of the week and
Natalie Bates was named specialist last week. Willer averaged 5.33 kills, 4.00 digs and 0.78 blocks a set in three matches last week and Bates averaged 10.67 assists and 3.44 digs a set as the starting setter. Washburn has now won three MIAA POTW awards.
Marissa Cox earned her 1,000th career kill 9/19 against NWMSU. She's 18th in WU history with 1,054 kills and second with a .326 career attack percentage.
Cox is 2nd in the MIAA with 3.93 kills a set and
Sarah Vicory is 2nd hitting .381. Cox is 4th with a .332 attack percentage. Freshman
Mattie-Ann Swenson is 3rd with 1.33 blocks a set.
Cox's next double-figure kill match will tie her for 10th in Washburn career history. She has 46 in her four years. Willer's 19 double-doubles is also one away from moving into the Washburn career top 10.
Washburn is 6-2 all-time against UCO with five straight wins all coming under
Chris Herron. Herron is 22-0 all-time against the Lions and WU hasn't lost in the series since 2001. The Ichabods lead all-time 35-34 against MSSU.
The Ichabods moved up one spot to seventh in this week's AVCA national poll and have been ranked 139 straight times.
The Ichabods went 31-6 last year and won a share of their third MIAA title in the last four years with a 15-1 conference record.
