KEARNEY, Neb. – The fifth-ranked Ichabods lost the first two sets by the narrowest possible margins, 25-23 and then 26-24 but were then controlled easily in the final set, 25-11 as they were swept Tuesday night at seventh-ranked Nebraska-Kearney.
 
Washburn and the Lopers both moved to identical 17-2 records with 9-2 marks in the MIAA. They are joined by three other teams as there is a five-way tie atop the league at the halfway point of the MIAA season.
 
The Bods will return home for two matches over Homecoming weekend with the first Friday at 7 p.m. against Northwest Missouri.
 
Washburn got strong performances from two attackers but team leader Marissa Cox was held to just three kills and a negative attack percentage. Leanna Willer led the Ichabods with 16 kills and she added a double-double with 12 digs. Sarah Vicory hit .688 with 11 kills and no errors in 16 attacks. No one else had more than four kills.
 
There were 29 ties and 17 lead changes in the first two sets but UNK brought momentum from two close wins and a crowd of 1,517 into the third set. The Bods trailed 6-5 early in the third after a kill from Vicory but UNK scored three straight after that and never let the Bods closer than three down the rest of the set. A 5-0 run just past the midway point put the Lopers up 21-9 as they went on to close the match.
 
Washburn led 22-21 in the first set but then gave up four of the final five points to lose. The Bods were up 23-22 in the second set on a kill from Mattie-Ann Swenson and then a UNK attack error gave the Bods set point at 24-22. The Lopers then took advantage of three straight Washburn attack errors to win the set and go up 2-0.
 
Washburn hit -.028 in the final set while the Lopers had a .478 attack with just one error. Overall, the Bods hit .119 in the match and UNK had a .243 attack percentage. The Lopers won in blocks, 9-5 but Washburn won in kills, 42-41. The Ichabods gave up points with twice as many attack errors and six service errors.