FIRST SERVE …
>> No. 4 Washburn volleyball (15-1, 7-1 MIAA) looks to extend its six-match winning streak in a rematch at undefeated No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney (17-0, 8-0 MIAA) on Tuesday, Oct. 15. First serve in Kearney, Neb., is slated for 6 p.m.
QUICK HITS …
>> Washburn moved up one place in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Top-25 Rankings on Oct. 14 to check in as the No. 4 team in the nation.
>> In the MIAA standings, Washburn is in second place behind Nebraska-Kearney.
>> UNK is the only team who has handed WU a loss this season. The Lopers won 3-0 in Lee Arena on Sept. 21.
>> The Ichabods defeated the Lopers 3-1 on their home court last season (Oct. 20, 2018). UNK was ranked No. 2 in the nation at the time.
LAST TIME OUT …
>> The Ichabods picked up two more road wins last weekend with a 3-2 decision over Missouri Southern and a sweep against Pittsburg State.
>> Washburn hit .186 in the match and held Missouri Southern to .083.
>> Genna Berg recorded her fourth-consecutive double-double with 15 kills and 14 digs.
>> Faith Rottinghaus had 23 digs and Allison Sadler dished out 52 assists, both a team-high for this season.
>> In the 3-0 win over Pittsburg State, the Ichabods hit .330 to the Gorillas' .138 mark.
>> Berg was one dig shy of another double-double to go with her 17 kills.
>> Kelsey Gordon had three total blocks, two of which were solos.
ICHABOD LEADERS IN THE MIAA …
>> As a team, Washburn ranks in the top-five in every statistics category in the MIAA.
>> The Ichabods lead the league in assists/set (13.17), kills/set (14.37), blocks/set (1.96), and service aces/set (1.65).
>> They also lead in holding their opponents to the lowest average in assists/set, kills/set, and digs/set.
>> Several Ichabods are ranked in the top-10 throughout the conference statistics list.
>> Berg has the second-best kills/set average in the league with 3.79.
>> Gordon and Sydney Fitzgibbons are in the top-10 for hitting percentage. Gordon is hitting .340 (sixth) and Fitzgibbons holds a .302 attacking percentage (ninth).
>> Taylor Antonowich leads the conference with 0.44 service aces/set.
>> Sadler is tied for first with 11.21 assists/set.
>> Gordon appears on the list again, this time in blocks with 0.94 (fifth). Allison Maxwell is close behind in eighth with 0.80 blocks/set.
>> Rottinghaus is fourth in digs/set with 5.10.
NATIONAL RANKS …
>> Washburn volleyball has been ranked in the AVCA Top-25 Poll for the past 17-straight rankings, dating back to Sept. 17, 2018. The team has also been in the top-five for the entirety of this season.
>> The Ichabods are eighth in the nation in kills/set, 11th in opponent hitting percentage, and 13th in assists/set.
>> Washburn is also eighth in winning percentage (.938) and is one of three teams to have only one loss this season.
>> Sadler's assists/set average (11.21) is the 15th-best in all of Division II.
ROAD WARRIORS …
>> The Ichabods are an undefeated 9-0 in matches played away from the friendly confines of Lee Arena this season.
>> Washburn went 3-0 in neutral site matches in Durango, Colo., at the beginning of the season and have gone 6-0 in away matches, including the previous four matches which have been on the road.
>> Every road match except one has been a shutout victory for Washburn.
HEAD COACH CHRIS HERRON …
>> Chris Herron is in his 18th season leading the Washburn volleyball program and holds an overall record of 519-104 and is 243-60 in MIAA matches.
>> He is 157-50 in away matches during his time at Washburn.
>> He has won 594 matches as a collegiate head coach (combined record between Washburn and Benedictine) and is six victories away from 600.
>> Herron's career collegiate winning percentage of .817 is seventh-best among active Division II coaches and is 18th-best all-time in D-II.
>> Herron is 6-14 when playing the Lopers.
MILESTONE TRACKER …
>> Antonowich needs 41 more digs to reach 500 in her career.
>> Rottinghaus continues to move up the ranks in career digs for the program as she is currently eighth all-time with 1,514 and needs 18 more to become seventh on the list.
>> Sadler needs 61 more assists to reach 1,800 in her career. She is also one kill away from hitting 100.
>> Montgomery is chasing 900 career kills and is currently 27 away.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION ...
No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney Lopers
>> The Nebraska-Kearney Lopers are 17-0 (8-0 MIAA) and are one of five teams in Division II who are still undefeated.
>> As a team, the Lopers are hitting .261 and limiting their opponents to a .105 clip.
>> The offense has scored 795 kills to their opponents' 589.
>> Julianne Jackson leads the team in kills (165) and has the second-most digs (196).
>> MK Wolfe and Anna Squiers have also contributed over 130 kills this season. Wolfe holds a .269 hitting percentage while Squiers is at a .331 attacking mark.
>> Setter Maddie Squiers has 573 assists so far this season, averaging 10.42 per set.
>> Defensively, Michaela Bartels has a team-best 38 blocks, including six solo blocks.
>> Behind the serving line, there are five Lopers with double-figure service aces. A. Squiers leads the way with 19.
>> Rick Squiers is in his 21st season at the helm for the Lopers and holds an overall record of 654-88. His .854 winning percentage is fifth-best all-time in Division II.
>> The Lopers lead the all-time series 36-12.
