KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The No. 2 seed Washburn volleyball team started off the 2019 MIAA Championship Tournament on a strong note Thursday afternoon with a sweep of No. 7 seed Pittsburg State Gorillas. The Ichabods advance to the MIAA semifinal tomorrow (Friday, Nov. 22) at 7:30 p.m. where they will face No. 3 seed Central Missouri (22-8). With the victory, the Ichabods improve to 27-2 overall while the Gorillas close out the season with a record of 14-16.
Washburn won by the set scores of 25-9, 25-16, and 25-20 to complete its 20th sweep of the season. The Ichabods finished with a hot .404 attacking percentage and held the Gorillas to a .118 hitting percentage. WU led in kills, 51-28, and in blocks, 6-1.
The Ichabods held a 2-1 lead to start the match when a kill from Kelsey Gordon ignited a scoring barrage in which Washburn would win the next 13-straight points. Washburn cruised to the 25-9 set victory with three-consecutive kills. The Ichabods hit .500 in the frame, knocking down 17 kills on 30 attempts with two errors.
Erica Montgomery got the second set started off with a kill, but the Gorillas answered with a kill of their own and the teams took turns scoring for the next four points until the Ichabods put together a three point run to go in front 6-3. Pittsburg State got within four points at 17-13, but that would be as close as it would get for the Gorillas as Washburn extended its lead. Washburn finished out the set with a 4-1 run and earned 20 of its 25 points with kills for a .432 attacking percentage.
The Gorillas quickly took their first lead of the match in the third set as they jumped in front 2-1 and either led or had a tie score until Washburn rattled off seven points in a row to take a 14-9 lead. Pittsburg State stayed close and fought back with a three point run to trail 21-17, but the Gorillas were unable to close the gap as a kill from Berg put the match away.
Berg led the team offensively and notched her 14th double-double of the year with 17 kills to go with her 11 digs. Allison Maxwell hit a scorching .750 in the match with nine kills on 12 attempts with no errors. Gordon also added nine kills and finished with a .615 attacking percentage. Allison Sadler handed out 41 assists and contributed four kills as well. Libero Faith Rottinghaus made a team-best 17 digs and had one of Washburn's three service aces.
NOTES:
>> Washburn will face No. 10 Central Missouri, the tournament's No. 3 seed, in the MIAA semifinal match.
>> The Jennies defeated Central Oklahoma in the quarterfinal round, 3-1.
>> The Ichabods and Jennies have squared off twice already this season with Washburn winning both meetings.
>> On Oct. 18, Washburn defeated then-ranked No. 9 Central Missouri 3-1 in Topeka.
>> In the regular season finale on Nov. 16, the Ichabods came back from an 0-2 hole to top the No. 10 Jennies in five sets.
>> Washburn is 4-4 all-time in semifinal matches.
>> When playing the Jennies in the MIAA Tournament, the Ichabods are 1-2.
>> Washburn is 2-3 when playing a No. 3 seed team in the conference tournament.
