MARYVILLE, Mo. ---- The No. 15 Washburn volleyball team continued its winning way on Friday as it bested No. 17 Northwest Missouri State in five sets. With the 3-2 win, the Ichabods pushed their win streak to eight matches.
 
Washburn (18-4, 9-1 MIAA) was led by Leanna Willer who posted with her 10^th double-double of the season as she tallied 15 digs and 25 kills. As a result of her productive night offensively, Willer now sits sixth on the Washburn career kills with 1,506 surpassing Washburn Hall of Famer Dani McHenry's mark of 1,491.
 
Sarah Vicory and Natalie Bates also contributed notably for the Ichabods. Vicory finished with 12 kills and team-highs with a .379 hitting percentage and six blocks. Bates meanwhile registered her fourth-straight double-double as she racked up 44 assists and 20 digs, while Alyssa Carney followed with 16 digs and was good for one kill.
 
The Ichabods held off Northwest Missouri (18-2, 6-2) as they took the opener 25-23 despite neither side holding a lead larger than three. Washburn was able to claim the set as it capitalized 9-1 on attack errors by NWMSU.
 
After conceding 12 points off attack errors, Washburn dropped the second set, 25-23. With every point being vital in what was shaping up to be a back-and-forth match, the Ichabod defense stepped up in the third as they forced Northwest Missouri into 10 attack errors including three blocks as they played a vital role in helping WU take the set 25-23 and 2-1 match lead.
 
Trailing 12-9 in the fourth, the Bearcats answered by scoring 10 of the next 13 points overtaking the lead and making it 19-15. WU rallied late but the effort was not enough as NWMSU won the frame, 25-22, pushing the match into a decisive fifth set.
 
Washburn controlled much of the final set en route to a 15-13 result. Trailing 6-5, WU was able to turn the set around as it picked three-straight points to assume an 8-6 advantage. In spite of the Bearcats sporadic scoring, the Ichabods were able to maintain the lead down the stretch.
 
The Ichabods will continue with its road trip on Saturday when they take on Missouri Western State at 7 p.m.