TOPEKA, Kan. -- The third-ranked Washburn volleyball team recorded their eighth sweep of the season Friday night as they defeated Fort Hays State, 3-0, and improved to 9-0 (1-0 MIAA). The Ichabods will take part in a top-10 showdown in Lee Arena tomorrow (Saturday, Sept. 21) as they host No. 6 Nebraska-Kearney at 6 p.m.

Washburn opened the match with three quick points and never trailed in the set. Although the Tigers would knot the score at 7-7, the Ichabods answered with a 5-1 scoring run to pull back in the lead. A big kill by Erica Montgomery gave the Ichabods a 25-18 first set win.

Fort Hays came out swinging in the second set and led for the majority of the frame. With the Tigers up 21-17, the Ichabods stormed back and went on a 9-3 scoring tear to complete the comeback. Emma Palasak sparked the Ichabods' momentum with a clutch kill, which was followed by back-to-back kills by Kelsey Gordon to cut the Tigers' lead to 21-20. The teams exchanged kills and the Tigers extended their lead to two, 23-21. Never giving up, the Ichabods tied up the match at 23 with back-to-back kills by Genna Berg. Fort Hays recorded one more kill and were at set point, 24-23, when two costly errors gave the Ichabods a 25-24 advantage and Sydney Fitzgibbons sealed the 26-24 victory with the set point kill.

The Tigers came out strong yet again in the third set, grabbing an early 7-3 lead. Washburn responded with seven unanswered points to go ahead 10-7 and never trailed again. Fort Hays got within one with Washburn leading 16-15, but the Ichabods finished off the set by taking nine of the last 10 points in their 25-16 third frame win. 

Gordon led the team with 13 kills while Berg was close behind with 11. Sydney Fitzgibbons had a .500 attacking percentage as she landed seven of her 14 kill attempts. Taylor Antonowich had four of the Ichabods' seven service aces. Faith Rottinghaus registered 17 digs in the back court. Allison Sadler recorded a double-double with 37 assists and 13 digs.