JOPLIN, Mo. --- The ninth-ranked Washburn volleyball team extended its program-best win streak on Friday evening, sweeping Missouri Southern in three sets (25-17, 25-13, 25-13). With its 13th sweep of the season, the Ichabods improved to 20-0 on the year while sitting atop the MIAA standings at 8-0.
The Missouri Southern (2-16, 2-6 MIAA) offense struggled for most the night as Washburn was gifted 34 points with 20 alone coming from attack errors. The Lions' three aces were a bright spot, but were overshadowed by their 11 errors from the service line. Washburn meanwhile finished the night with a distinct advantage out hitting the Lions, .278 to .048, as it also held a 40-26 advantage in kills with 10 errors. The Ichabod defense registered five team blocks and 67 digs.
Genna Berg led the Washburn offensive effort with a match-best 10 kills and also finished with 14 digs for her sixth double-double of season. In addition to Berg, seven other Ichabods finished with two or more kills.
Erica Montgomery followed six, as
Allison Maxwell chipped with five. Maxwell also tallied a match-high five blocks.
Faith Rottinghaus held down the back line with team-best 16 digs, while
Shayla Conner had 13 to go along with her 26 assists.
Shaylon Sharp and Bridgette Jaeger led the Lion attack with six kills each.
Set 1: The Ichabods opened with a 6-3 lead a kills from Maxwell and
Taylor Antonowich with the balance coming from MSSU errors. The Lion attack found their rhythm soon after forcing a tie at seven, before taking a 10-9 lead. The slim margin though quickly evaporated as Washburn put together a 7-1 run, claiming a 16-11 lead, as Antonowich had two kills and assisted on a block. From then on, the Ichabods never looked back. Leading 17-14, WU pushed its margin to eight as Berg notched back-to-back kills as part of a 5-0 run. The Lions narrowed the gap to six but it would not be enough as Antonowich's fourth kill secured the set for Washburn, 25-17, and gave it a 1-0 match lead.
Set 2: Missouri Southern jumped to a 3-0 lead but possession of the scoreboard quickly changed hands Allison and
Makayla Maxwell buried consecutive kills as part of a 4-0 rally by the Ichabods. Tied at 4-4, Washburn blistered past the Lions with a 13-1 run, including a season-best 11 unanswered points. A pair of kills from
Emma Palasak helped WU eventually pushed the score to 20-7, before a kill from
Madison Johnson closed the set, 25-13.
Set 3: After hitting .268 in the first and .262 in the second, Washburn saved its best hitting mark for the third. Behind an efficient .320 hitting, the Ichabods cruised past MSSU, 25-13. An early tie at 1-1, was quickly forgotten as WU strung together a 6-1 run as Berg and Montgomery each scored a pair of kills. Leading 8-4, the Washburn advantage then grew to a nine-point behind a 7-2 run. Leading 22-13 late, the completed the sweep with a 3-0 spurt.
Up next: Washburn will wrap-up its six-match road trip tomorrow when it takes on Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Mo. First serve is slated for 2 pm.
