Box Score EMPORIA, Kan. --- The No. 18 Washburn volleyball team went the distance Tuesday evening in a 3-2 come from behind victory over Emporia State.
 
With the result, the Ichabods improved to 14-4 overall and 5-1 in conference play. The win also pushed the WU win streak against ESU to 15 straight.
 
Aside from the team outcome, the night was also special for Natalie Bates who reached the 1,700 career assists and Leanna Willer who set a school single-match record for total attempts.
 
With 26 ties and nine lead changes, the opening two sets were the most contested frames of the night as Emporia State (9-9, 2-4) took a 2-0 advantage after winning each set 26-24.
 
With momentum against them, the Ichabods began the uphill climb with a 3-1 run to begin the third stanza. The narrow margin was erased and ESU took the lead with a 6-0 spurt. The sides then began to trade points until ESU stood at 8-7.
 
The Hornets advantage was shorted however as Makayla Maxwell tied the set at 8-8 with one of her eight kills for the night and helped Bates record her 1,700^th-career assist.
 
The remainder of the set stayed in flux until Washburn took control late as an 11-1 run helped it win the set 25-20 to stay alive.
 
After the sides jostled for control to start the fourth, the Ichabods took a 12-6 lead and momentum. Before long, Washburn widened the gap to double-digits as it cruised to a 25-17 result.
 
Assisted by WU three attack errors ESU took a 4-1 lead early to begin the final set. The advantage quickly evaporated behind as a 7-2 run helped the Ichabods move out front 8-6 as the teams switched sides. The Hornets continued to pester WU down the stretch as they forced ties at 13, 14 and 15 before a kill from WIller and an attack sealed the comeback effort.
 
In the box score, Willer finished with 22 kills, 20 digs and 85 total attempts which is a new single-match mark surpassing the previous record of 76 set by Dani McHenry (Oct. 26, 2004) and Tessa Jones (Oct. 26, 2007).
 
Megan Pedersen and Sarah Vicory also contributed to the effort as each finished with 18 and 17 kills, respectively. Pedersen also had a match-best .516 hitting percentage. Bates ended the evening with 58 assists and 11 digs. Alyssa Carney finished with a team-best 29 digs, while Shayla Conner chipped in with 12. Maxwell was a force at the net as she posted nine total blocks.
 
Next up, the Ichabods host No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney on Friday at 7 p.m.