TOPEKA, Kan. – Late match heroics for the second consecutive night helped the 14th-ranked Washburn Ichabod volleyball team close out the 2015 Washburn Invitational, 4-0, on Saturday, Sept. 5.  WU started the day with a 3-1 victory over Black Hills State before a comeback 3-2 win against Drury in the day's finale.
 
WU (4-0) is now 30-0 all-time in the event.  The Ichabods head to Colorado next weekend for the UC-Colorado Springs/Colorado State-Pueblo Tournament, Sept. 11-12.

The All-Tournament team featured three Washburn players: Sarah Vicory, Leanna Willer and Liz Powell.  Vicory was named the Most Valuable Player after closing the weekend with 48 kills (2.82 per set) and 23 blocks (1.35 per set).  Willer had a team-high 58 kills (3.63 per set) and added 59 digs on the weekend to go with three service aces, while Powell finished the event with 137 assists (8.06 per set).

The complete All-Tournament Team is:
 

Name	Team
Brittany Cech	Augustana
Tahlyr Banks	Augustana
Danielle Torpey	Black Hills State
BJ Specht	Drury
Brooke Antenen	Drury
Josie Williams	Emporia State
Kylie Miller	South Dakota Mines
Sarah Vicory*	Washburn
Leanna Willer	Washburn
Liz Powell	Washburn
* - Most Valuable Player

 
Recaps of Saturday's action are below …
 
No. 14 Washburn 3, Black Hills State 1 (25-19, 26-28, 25-18, 25-10)
Kills from Leanna Willer, Korie Thompson and Sarah Vicory helped WU jump out to a 5-1 lead in the first set, holding close to that four-point advantage throughout the game until 18-16, when a kill from Thompson started a run of five straight Washburn points and helped the Ichabods towards a 25-19 set win.
 
The second set proved much more challenging for the Ichabods, as BHSU led by as many as three (14-11) near the midway point of the set before both teams were tied at 22 as the set wound down.  Though WU was looking at set point (24-23) after a kill from Willer, the Yellowjackets recovered and eventually tied the match at 1-1, with a 28-26 win.
 
WU started the fourth set slow, trailing 4-1 early before coming back with a 6-1 run.  Later in the set, down 14-13, a kill from Taylor Selk was the first of five consecutive Ichabod points that helped WU take control for good and win by seven, 25-18.
 
Washburn scored early and often in the fourth to run away with a dominant 25-10 victory in the match clinching set.  The Ichabods jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the set and stretched it to 10-1 soon after. That was as close as BHSU got the rest of the way as WU won, 25-10.
 
Willer and Vicory reached double-digits in points for the second straight match, finishing with 13 and 11, respectively, to pace the team.  At the net, Vicory had a career-high in total blocks (nine) and block assists (eight). 
 
Liz Powell had 34 assists in the setter role to go along with seven digs, third on the team behind Willer (13 digs) and libero Alyssa Carney (16).

The win was also No. 400 at Washburn for head coach Chris Herron.
 
No. 14 Washburn University 3, Drury 2 (23-25, 20-25, 25-15, 25-22, 15-11)
Down 2-0 for the second time in as many days, a late surge carried Washburn to a 3-2 victory over Drury.
 
Back-and-forth through the first set, a late push from Drury dealt the Ichabods a 25-23 loss.  WU tied the set at 22-all after a kill from Leanna Willer, but could pull off the rally and fell behind, 1-0. The second set again saw WU make a late charge that fell just short, but set the team up with momentum headed into the third.  Down 18-11 in the set, WU climbed back to within four twice (21-17 and 24-20) before DU took a 2-0 lead in the match
 
WU came out strong in the third, taking an 8-3 lead before Drury called timeout.  Out of the reset, the Ichabods bumped the lead to 14-7 before a five-point run from the Panthers cut it to two (14-12) and forced a WU timeout.  DU continued to charge, within two again at 16-14, but a 9-1 run to close the set (starting with five straight) helped the Bods win, 25-15.
 
Down 15-10 in the fourth, a kill from Vicory started a long run back for the Ichabods, who cut the lead to one (16-15) with a 5-1 run that ended with four straight WU scores.  Down 21-19, WU had four straight kills (including three from Willer) to gain control, 23-21, and after an error allowed DU to side out, kills from Willer and Vicory ended the set, 25-22, and tied the match, 2-2.
 
Trailing 3-2 in the fifth, kills from Vicory sandwiched a McKenzie Hartzog ace that allowed WU to take the lead for good, up 5-3 at that point.  After a DU timeout, WU stretched the lead to four (8-4) at the break.  Though DU continued to push, the Ichabods held the Panthers' charge off and closed the comeback with a kill by Willer at 15-10.
 
Willer reached the 20-kill mark for the first time this season, finishing as the team leader and one of three Ichabods to hit double-digits in kills.  Vicory had 19 kills to go with three blocks and Korie Thompson put together a double-double with 11 kills and 16 digs.
 
Willer had her third double-double of the season by digging up 24 attacks, trailing only Alyssa Carney (31 digs) for the team lead.  Liz Powell's double-double of 54 assists and 19 digs was the first 50-plus assist of her career.