FIRST SERVE …
>> No. 4-ranked Washburn Volleyball (4-0) is set to travel to Durango, Colo., to play four matches at the Skyhawks Tournament hosted by Fort Lewis this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 13-14.
>> The Ichabods will take on teams from the Lone Star Conference and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
>> Washburn will face Western New Mexico (2-2) on Friday, Sept. 13 at 2:30 p.m. Central Time and then later Fort Lewis (2-3) at 8:30 p.m.
>> On Saturday, the Ichabods will play another pair of matches, first against West Texas A&M (3-0) at 11:30 a.m. and then Adam State (1-4) at 3:30 p.m.
QUICK HITS …
>> Washburn is ranked fourth in the nation for the second-consecutive time in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll.
>> Allison Maxwell was named the MIAA Co-Hitter of the Week (Sept. 9). She finished the opening weekend with 41 kills in 13 sets played for a 3.15 kills per set average. She hit .387 with 12 errors on 75 swings and led the team with 16 total blocks, including one solo block. She has earned the weekly honor three times now in her career.
>> In the four matches played, the Ichabods held three of their opponents to a hitting percentage below .100 (Central Washington finished with .091, Quincy had .009, and Texas Woman's had -.019).
>> Washurn leads the MIAA in opponent attack percentage with .070.
>> The Ichabods also lead the league in blocks per set, averaging 2.46 after 13 sets played.
>> Chris Herron holds a combined 7-1 record after previous matchups against Adam State, Fort Lewis, and West Texas A&M. The lone loss was to WTAM in 2009.
LAST TIME OUT …
>> The Ichabods opened the season by hosting the Washburn Invitational at Lee Arena and recorded four wins.
>> Washburn defeated William Jewell, Texas Woman's, and Quincy by way of 3-0 sweeps.
>> The Ichabods took down their first ranked opponent as they toppped No. 23 Central Washington 3-1.
>> Sydney Pullen, MaryAna Barnes, and Rece Rainey all made their collegiate debut for Washburn.
>> Four Washburn players were named to the All-Tournament team: Genna Berg, Kelsey Gordon, Faith Rottinghaus, and Allison Maxwell was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
BY THE NUMBERS …
>> .240 - Hitting percentage of Washburn as a team.
>> .070 - Hitting percentage of Washburn opponents.
>> 43 - Kills by Genna Berg.
>> 136 - Assists by Allison Sadler with 0 errors.
>> 16 - Blocks by Allison Maxwell, including 1 solo block.
>> .387 - Maxwell's hitting percentage (41 kills on 75 swings).
>> 12 - Wins in neutral site matches last sesason with only 1 loss.
>> 15 - Career-high kills in a single match for Kelsey Gordon, which she recorded against Central Washington.
>> 2 - Double-doubles recorded by the Ichabods at the Washburn Invitational. Sadler recorded her 12th career double-double in the match against Texas Woman's (23 assists and had 12 digs) while Berg achieved her 16th double-double with 12 kills and 14 digs against Central Washington.
MILESTONE TRACKER …
>> Erica Montgomery has 769 career kills, just 41 away from 800.
>> Faith Rottinghaus surpassed 1,300 career digs last weekend and is now sitting at 1,309. She is also currently third all-time in career digs per set for the Ichabods with 4.92.
>> Allison Sadler moved up to 15th all-time for Washburn in assists with 1,292.
>> Kelsey Gordon needs five more digs to reach her 50th career dig.
>> The Ichabods have won 691 matches since joining the NCAA and need just nine more wins to reach 700.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION ...
Western New Mexico Mustangs
>> Western New Mexico went 10-19 overall last season with a 6-14 record in the Lone Star Conference.
>> The Mustangs are 2-2 after starting the season at the Cal State - San Marcos Tournament.
>> Returning this season are Bria Augustine (LSC second-team selection) and Gabi Lau (LSC honorable mention).
>> As a team, the Mustangs are hitting .185
>> Appearing in 12 of 14 sets so far this season, Erin Moss leads the team with 46 kills.
>> Holly Watts begins her first season leading the Mustangs.
>> This will be the first ever meeting between these two teams.
Fort Lewis Skyhawks
>> Fort Lewis went 9-14 (9-9 RMAC) in 2018 and had four players receive all-conference honors, two of whom return this season.
>> The Skyhawks are looking to get back on track at their home tournament this weekend as they have lost their last three matches and are 2-3 to start the season.
>> One of those returners, Bailey Longacre, leads the team currently with 33 kills in 12 sets played. She is also tied for the team-best eight blocks.
>> Tricia Melfy is in her second season with the Skyhawks.
>> The Ichabods hold a 5-3 all-time advantage over the Skyhawks and have won the last four matches.
>> Washburn has never played at Fort Lewis.
West Texas A&M Lady Buffs
>> WTAM went 19-13 (12-8 LSC) in 2018 and were tabbed fourth in the conference's preseason poll heading into the 2019 campaign.
>> The Lady Buffs are off to a 3-0 start to the season after victories over St. Mary's (3-2), Southern Arkansas (3-0), and Tuskgegee (3-0).
>> All four Lady Buffs who received All-LSC honors in 2018 return on the 2019 squad, including the conference Libero of the Year winner Chandler Vogel.
>> Freshman Torrey Miller leads the team with 50 kills and holds a .311 hitting percentage.
>> In 10 sets played, Raquel Valdez, a junior, has recorded 12 total blocks with one solo.
>> Kendra Potts was named the Lady Buffs' coach in December of 2018 and will enter her first season as a head coach.
>> The Ichabods hold a close 3-2 all-time series lead.
>> The two teams first met in 1989 and last met in 2011 in a neutral site match which Washburn claimed 3-0.
Adam State Grizzlies
>> Adam State finished 2018 going 12-14 and 9-9 RMAC and won its last six of seven matches.
>> The Grizzlies are 1-4 to start the 2019 schedule.
>> ASU has a lot of young faces on the team as just four of the 16 players on the roster are upper classmen.
>> Head coach Lindy Mortensen enters her 15th season at the helm of Grizzly volleyball program.
>> Washburn has won the last four-consecutive matches and leads the series 5-3.
>> Four of their five wins have been a shutout victory.
