TOPEKA, Kan. -- Ichabod senior Erica Montgomery helped the third-ranked Washburn volleyball team win its final home game of the season with a 3-0 decision over Missouri Southern. The Ichabods improve to 24-2 and are 16-2 in MIAA matches while the Lions drop to 13-15 and 6-12 in conference action.

Washburn won by the set scores of 25-15, 25-18, and 25-19. The Ichabods hit .313 in the match and the Lions finished with a .244 attacking percentage. The home team held a 45-30 advantage in kills and in digs, 46-36. Washburn also had a strong showing behind the service line as it landed nine aces.

The Ichabods came out swinging to start the match as they quickly went up 11-2 and recorded six kills and four aces during that run. Washburn extended its lead to 20-7 on a four point run with a kill and an ace by Genna Berg and back-to-back kills by Allison Maxwell. Kelsey Gordon knocked down the set-winning kill as the Ichabods claimed the first set by a 10 point margin and hit .357.

The Lions won the first point in the second set and the teams continued to exchange points until Washburn broke the 6-6 tie and had three kills in a row to take a 9-6 lead. Missouri Southern answered with a 6-2 run to go in front by one point, 12-11. It was déjà vu again as the teams traded points and Washburn went on a three point run on three-straight kills to reclaim the lead at 17-15. Missouri Southern got within one point twice, but the Ichabods put together a six point burst to get to set point and then Halle Meister put the set away with a kill.

The third set started out close as well. After Missouri Southern won the first two points, there were seven tied scores by the time the score hit 8-8. The Ichabods went on a 5-0 run with three kills and benefited from two errors by the Lions to go up 12-8. The Lions kept themselves in the set and trailed by just one or two points until they took the lead at 17-16. The Ichabods fired back, however, and won nine of the final 11 points to complete the sweep.

Berg led the Ichabods with a dozen kills and was one dig shy of a double-double. She also landed three of Washburn's nine service aces, as did Taylor Antonowich. Maxwell landed 11 kills and made one solo block. Sadler registered her 11th double-double of the season with 36 assists and 13 digs. Faith Rottinghaus made a team-high 14 digs.
 
The Ichabods concludes the regular season next week with a pair of top-15 matches in the Show Me State. Washburn will play at No. 14 Northwest Missouri on Friday, Nov. 15, and then travel to No. 10 Central Missouri the following day (Saturday, Nov. 16).