TOPEKA, Kan. – Five Ichabods finished in double-digit kills, but No. 2-ranked Washburn came up short in an intense four-set battle against No. 3 Central Missouri on Thursday evening. Washburn will spend the next five matches on the road, starting at Emporia State next Tuesday, Oct. 26.
 
The Ichabods lost by the set scores of 19-25, 25-17, 28-30, and 22-25 and are now 19-3 overall and 11-2 in conference matches.
 
Washburn held an early 4-2 advantage when Central Missouri (18-2, 11-1 MIAA) won three points in a row to take the lead. The Ichabods leveled the score at 10 and pulled within one point at 15-14, but the Jennies went on to claim 10 of the final 15 points of the frame to win the opening set.
 
After losing the first point of the second set, the Ichabods answered with a kill from Kelsey Gordon and then back-to-back service aces from Faith Rottinghaus. Washburn pushed its lead to 10-4 with a 6-1 scoring run in which Genna Berg hammered down three kills and was a part of a block. Washburn continued its attack while also benefiting from Central Missouri errors as the Ichabods evened the match at one game apiece with a 25-17 victory.
 
The Jennies jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the third set when the Ichabods started to chip away at the deficit. Allison Maxwell knocked down two kills in a row and Berg kept the streak going with another kill to knot up the score at 13-all. Washburn kept the game within three or fewer points when a 3-0 mini run gave the Ichabods their first lead of the set, 20-19. A kill by Berg set Washburn up for game point, 24-22, but Central Missouri spoiled it with two-consecutive points. The score was tied at 24 through 28 until UCM won the last two points to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The back-and-forth scoring carried over into the fourth set where neither team led by more than two points until a Jalyn Stevenson's kill put the Ichabods in front, 14-11. Washburn went up, 16-14, after Central Missouri's eighth service error of the match, but the lead slipped away with a 4-0 run by the Jennies. The Ichabods were unable to overcome the deficit and fell in the fourth set, 25-22.
 
Washburn finished the match with a .241 attacking percentage while Central Missouri hit .278. The Ichabods led in kills, 67-57, but also in errors, 25-13. UCM out-blocked WU, 10-6, but the Ichabods held a slight edge in service aces, 4-3.
 
Washburn had five players record double-figure kills as Maxwell and Berg both had 15 and they also were a part of three blocks apiece. Berg notched her third double-double of the season as she added 10 digs. Sydney Fitzgibbons hit .458 and landed 14 kills. Gordon and Stevenson contributed 11 and 10 kills, respectively.
 
Allison Sadler tied a career-high in assists with 62 to go with her 10 digs. Libero Faith Rottinghaus scooped up 31 digs and had two of Washburn's service aces.
 
Three Jennies finished with double-figure kills led by a match-high 19 by Kersti Nix who also finished the night with a .500 hitting percentage.