TOPEKA, Kan. --- For the sixth time in the Chris Herron era, Washburn volleyball reached 13-0 to open the season after it blanked Fort Hays State in consecutive sets, 25-12, 25-21, 25-15, for its 11th sweep of the season in its MIAA opener. The unblemished start was last achieved by Washburn during the 2015 season and before that 2012, 2009, 2004 and 2004, which the 2009 season being the best at 15-0.

The Ichabods will return to action at Lee Arena, Saturday at 3 pm, when they will be pit against top-ranked Nebraska-Kearney, as both sides put their 13-0 records on the line, after the Lopers down Emporia State in four sets.

In contest with FHSU, the Ichabods posted an efficient .262 hitting percentage, including a match best .393 following the first set. Washburn finished the match with 38 kills and 10 errors on 107. Defensively, Washburn helped FHSU to a negative hitting percentage in sets two and three as it finished at .009. 

Allison Maxwell paced the Washburn offense with 11 kills while Makayla Maxwell and Erica Montgomery followed with eight and seven kills respectively. Shayla Conner directed the office as she distributed 26 assists. Faith Rottinghaus registered 14 digs. Genna Berg tied a career-high with five blocks, while Allison Maxwell notched a team-high with six. 

SET 1: Fueled by a 6-0 run to open the match the Ichabods sprinted past the Tigers early in the frame. Leading 9-5, Washburn saw its advantage extended to double-figures as five FHSU errors helped the Ichabods to an 8-2 run before cruising to a 25-12 win. 

SET 2: After conceding first two points to start the second set, Washburn recovered with back-to-back kills from Allison Maxwell before a kill from Berg nudged it out front, 3-2. An Ichabod servicing miscue briefly leveled the match at 3-3, but consecutive kills from Montgomery, Allison Maxwell and Taylor Antonowich allowed them to open a seven-point margin and claim a 10-3 advantage. The Washburn cushion hovered between seven to nine points as the scoreline was pushed to 19-10. Fort Hays State then saw its deficit reduced to five late as a 5-1 run, including four straight, trimmed the Washburn lead to 20-15. Surging, the Tigers continued to push late as a 4-2 spurt pulled them within three, 24-21. The rally however was cut short thanks to Kelsey Gordon as she buried one of her three kills of the night to secure the set point.

SET 3: Another quick start by FHSU saw Washburn with its largest deficit as the Tiger opened on 5-2 run. The Ichabods though rebounded with four unanswered tying the stanza at 6-6. From there, WU built a lead as it scored in pairs until a 3-0 spurt gave it a 19-12 margin, its largest of the set. Another late FHSU push trimmed again trimmed the advantage to five, but any thought of a rally was quickly dealt with as back-to-back kill from Allison Maxwell put an exclamation on a 5-0 run to help the Ichabods complete the sweep and keep its perfect record intact.

Fort Hays State were led by Azlyn Cassaday's 10 kills while Abbie Hayes has a match-best 18 digs.