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WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Three of Washburn's attackers hit over .300 in a 25-10, 25-12, 25-15 win Friday against Southwestern Oklahoma State in the 10th-ranked Ichabods' season opener. Washburn has now won 17 straight season openers, including all 13 under coach Chris Herron.
 
The Ichabods will continue action in the Midwestern State Hampton Inn-vitational Friday at 4:30 p.m. with a match against Arkansas Tech.
 
Marissa Cox led Washburn with eight kills and she hit .312 with three errors in 16 attempts. Leanna Willer had seven kills and Sarah Vicory had six kills and a team-high .385 attack percentage. Freshman Paige Regnier hit .333 with six kills in her college debut.
 
Natalie Bates started the match as setter and had 14 assists. Division I transfer Liz Powell also set and recorded 13 assists. Libero Alyssa Carney led the defense with 14 digs and Bates had nine. Willer tied a career high as she led the team with five aces. Powell had three as the team totaled 12.
 
The Ichabods led early in the first two sets, 11-4 in the opener and 9-0 in the second set as the Bulldogs hit negative in both those sets. Washburn led the entire third set but it was much closer the first half of the set. Four straight points from the SWOSU cut Washburn's lead to 11-10 but Washburn answered with its own 4-0 run. Another 4-0 run gave Washburn a 21-13 lead and then a Bulldog error later clinched the match for Washburn.
 
Washburn hit .244 while the Bulldogs were -.073 in the match.
 
Bates made her first career start after playing in just 12 matches as a freshman. Cox, Willer and Vicory all returned to their starting spots after earning all-MIAA last year. Wichita State transfer Carney started, as did true freshmen Reigner and Mattie-Ann Swenson.