FIRST SERVE …
>> After earning a road win on Tuesday, No. 5 Washburn volleyball (10-1, 2-1 MIAA) closes out the week at home against Missouri Western (7-4, 1-2 MIAA) on Saturday, Sept. 28. The match in Lee Arena is slated to begin at 3 p.m.
QUICK HITS …
>> Missouri Western and Washburn have met 88 times since their first match up in 1975.
>> Washburn won the first-ever match, 2-0.
>> The Ichabods are 5-1 when playing at Lee Arena this season.
>> WU checked in at No. 5 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll (Sept. 23) after being previously ranked No. 3.
>> The Ichabods currently rank 11th in Division II in kills per set (14.32).
LAST TIME OUT …
>> Washburn swept past long-time rival Emporia State on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at White Auditorium.
>> The Ichabods pulled away in the first and second set to take those 25-17 and 25-16.
>> The third set was a thriller with eight ties, two lead changes, and pushed to extra points with the Ichabods completing a late comeback to finish the shutout.
>> Emporia State led 17-13 when Washburn started to chip away at the lead to eventually tie the match at 22.
>> The teams exchanged points and tied at 23, 24, 25, and 26 before Washburn claimed the final two consecutive points with a kill from Allison Maxwell and then she and Allison Sadler made the match-clinching block to win the set 28-26.
ICHABOD LEADERS IN THE MIAA …
>> As of Sept. 26, Washburn remains in the top-five in every statistics category.
>> The Ichabods lead the league in assists/set (12.94), kills/set (14.32), blocks/set (1.91), and service aces/set (1.68).
>> The team is also third in hitting percentage (.237) and fifth in digs/set (16.94).
>> Individually, several Ichabods rank in the top-five in each category.
>> Allison Sadler leads the conference in assists per set. She has recorded 377 total assists after 34 sets played.
>> Taylor Antonowich is second in service aces per set (0.44).
>> Faith Rottinghaus averages 5.32 digs per set, which is third-best in the MIAA.
>> Kelsey Gordon is third in hitting percentage (.353) and Genna Berg is third in kills per set (3.59).
>> Allison Maxwell is fifth in blocks per set at 0.88 as she has 30 total blocks.
BY THE NUMBERS …
.237 : Hitting percentage by the Ichabods.
.117 : Hitting percentage by Washburn opponents.
487 : Total kills recorded by the Ichabods.
336 : Total kills recorded by Washburn opponents.
9 : Washburn victories that have been 3-0 sweeps.
20 : Kills by Genna Berg against Emporia State, a 2019 season-high for Washburn.
MILESTONE TRACKER …
>> Kelsey Gordon is 13 kills shy of 300 for her career.
>> Allison Maxwell's kill to give the Ichabods that third set lead against Emporia was the 700th of her career.
>> Allison Sadler is 23 assists away from having 400 already this season.
>> Herron has won 589 matches as a collegiate head coach (combined record between Washburn and Benedictine) and is 21 victories away from 600.
>> The Ichabods have won 697 matches since joining the NCAA and need just three more wins to reach 700.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION ...
Missouri Western Griffons
>> The Missouri Western Griffons wrapped up 2018 with a record of 15-7 (7-11 MIAA) and entered the 2019 season picked sixth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
>> The Griffons are now 7-4 (1-2 MIAA) after winning in five sets against Emporia State on Thursday night.
>> That match's final score was 25-17, 24-26, 25-20, 19-25, 16-14.
>> Sam Duncan and Ali Tauchen led the team with 14 kills apiece against ESU.
>> As a team, the Griffons are hitting .222 while opponents are at a .172 attacking percentage.
>> Tauchen leads the team with 137 kills and in hitting percentage at .363.
>> Setter Lauren Murphy has dished out 389 assists and chipped in 33 kills.
>> Defensively, libero Tiana Butler has recorded 221 digs this season.
>> Tauchen also leads the team in blocks with 38 total (35 assisted, three solo).
>> The Griffons are led by Marian Carbin in her seventh season. She was named the MIAA Coach of the Year in 2017.
>> Missouri Western leads the all-time series with Washburn, 47-41.
>> The Ichabods hold a record of 22-7 when playing the Griffons at Lee Arena, including a 3-1 win last season in Topeka.
