TOPEKA, Kan. – Four Ichabods finished with eight or more kills as No. 1 Washburn swept Pittsburg State in Lee Arena on Saturday evening. The Ichabods will close out their five-match homestand on Tuesday, Oct. 12 against No. 14 Nebraska-Kearney before hitting the road to play at No. 10 Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western next weekend.
 
Washburn won by the set scores of 25-14, 25-18, and 25-17 to improve to 16-1 overall and remain undefeated in conference play at 8-0.
 
The Ichabods made a statement to begin the match by running out to a 9-1 lead. Washburn stayed in control of the frame and won the final five points in a row, with four coming by way of Pittsburg State errors, to claim the opening set.
 
The second set was a series of scoring runs for the Ichabods as they went in front 6-1 before the Gorillas (10-6, 4-4 MIAA) pulled within one point at 8-7. A 4-0 mini run started by an Allison Maxwell kill and then a 5-0 run created some space and put Washburn up, 17-9. Yet again the Ichabods closed out the game with five-consecutive points to win the set.
 
After losing the first two points of the third set on blocks by Pittsburg State, the Ichabods responded with a 7-1 burst to take a lead they would hold for the remainder of the game as they cruised to their 10th sweep victory of the season.
 
Washburn hit .252 on the night and held Pittsburg State to a .096 attacking percentage, marking the eighth time this year the Ichabods have held their opponents to hitting under .100. Washburn also led in kills, 47-27, and aces 6-1.
 
Maxwell led all players with 15 kills and hit .480 in the match while playing a part in four blocks. Fellow middle hitter Kelsey Gordon also registered double-digits with 10 kills. Genna Berg and Sydney Fitzgibbons contributed eight kills apiece.
 
Setter Allison Sadler notched her fourth double-double of the season with 38 assists and 13 digs. In the back court, Faith Rottinghaus recorded 20 digs.
 
Pittsburg State was led by Meg Auten with eight kills and 11 digs.