EDMOND, Okla. --- Paced by a career-highs by
Allison Maxwell, the No. 13 Washburn volleyball team got the better of No. 18 Central Oklahoma on Friday, taking down the Bronchos 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 26-24, 25-13). With the result, the Ichabods improve to 18-0 on the year and 6-0 against MIAA opponents.
Washburn out hit UCO, .222 to .121, and held a 59-50 advantage in kills and a slim 10-8 advantage in team blocks. Each side registered a pair of aces, though Washburn had some trouble from the service line with seven serving errors.
Maxwell made her presence known on both sides of the net as the sophomore had 20 kills on .586 hitting while notching six blocks. Both her offensive numbers were career-bests.
Genna Berg followed with nine with
Erica Montgomery finishing with eight.
Taylor Antonowich,
Kelsey Gordon and
Makayla Maxwell each chipped in with six apiece.
With four Ichabods with double-figure digs,
Faith Rottinghaus led the way with a team-best 20.
Shayla Conner and Antonowich each had 19, while Montgomery finished with 10. Berg added to the defensive effort with four assisted blocks.
Taylor Bevis led the Bronchos (16-4, 4-2 MIAA) with 19 kills and 19 digs.
Set 1: See-saw action opened the match with the sides battling to a pair of ties early before the Ichabods used a 3-1 spurt to nudge out to a 5-3 lead. UCO forced ties at 6-6 and 7-7. Washburn though breaks free with a 3-0 spurt to make it 10-7, with kills from Antonowich and Conner. After a WU service error helped UCO tie it at 12-12, the Ichabods immediately recovered with another 3-0 run, receiving a kill each from Berg, Antonowich,
Makayla Maxwell. A Broncho timeout did little to slow the Washburn momentum as it went on to win the set 25-20.
Set 2: The Ichabods jumped out to a quick 5-2 lead before stretching the advantage to five with a 4-2 rally. With WU leading 14-10, the Bronchos went a 5-1 run with four kills to force a 15-15 tie. An Ichabod point and timeout did little to slow the UCO momentmum as it moved out to a 21-17 lead behind a 6-1 run. A pair of
Allison Maxwell kills during a 6-1 run then helped Washburn level the score at 23. The late effort though fell short as UCO registered the final two points tying the match at a set apiece.
Set 3: A tightly contested frame, the sides fought to 11 ties with seven during opening 24 points. During that stretch, Washburn trailed the entire time and it was a 4-1 Ichabod run that tied the set at 12. Back-and-forth action kept UCO in the driver's seat as Washburn was unable break through. After forcing a tie at 22 and 23, the Ichabods took their first lead immediately after thanks to an ace by Berg. Central Oklahoma answered back tying it at 24-24, but a kill from
Makayla Maxwell and UCO attack error allowed WU to claim the set, 26-24, and a 2-1 match lead.
Set 4: Washburn sprinted to a 9-1 run early and never looked back. During the run
Allison Maxwell registered three kills and assisted on a block. Four consecutive kills from Central Oklahoma trimmed the margin to 9-5, but it was not enough to threaten the Ichabod margin which was quickly pushed to a double-digit margin behind a 9-4 exchange. From there, Washburn cruised as it stretched its advantage to as much as 13, before taking the set, 25-13, and the match at 3-1.
Up next: The Ichabods return to action tomorrow after when they travel to take on Pittsburg State at 2 pm.
