MARYVILLE, Mo. -- No. 15-ranked Northwest Missouri volleyball outlasted No. 10 Washburn in four sets on Friday evening in a match that saw 16 total lead changes, 38 ties, and two of the sets going to extra points. The Ichabods will return to Topeka for a five-match homestand next week starting on Oct. 18 hosting Emporia State.
Washburn fell by the set scores of 26-28, 15-25, 29-27, and 21-25 is now 17-4 (9-4 MIAA) on the season.
The Bearcats (15-5, 9-3 MIAA) got out to a hot start leading 7-2 to begin the match. The Ichabods slowly trimmed the deficit and eventually tied the score at 14-all. Back-and-forth scoring ensued as the teams took turns scoring two points in a row until the Ichabods put together a 3-0 mini run to go in front, 24-23. The Bearcats spoiled the set point with a 3-1 run to make it set point of their own. A kill from
Kealy Kiviniemi evened the score at 26, but back-to-back kills by the Bearcats gave them the 28-26 first set victory.
It was all Northwest Missouri in the second as the Washburn struggled, hitting a rare -.023 with eight kills and nine attacking errors. The Bearcats led from start to finish as they cruised to the 10-point win to go up, 2-0, in the match.
The third set was a marathon that consisted of 11 lead changes and 21 ties. The score stayed within two or fewer points until the Bearcats went on a 4-0 run to jockey in front, 19-16. The Ichabods answered with three points in a row to tie things up and the score was tied each step of the way until two-consecutive Bearcat errors gave the Ichabods a 24-23 lead. Northwest Missouri didn't give up and scored three of the next four points to sit at match point, 26-25.
Sophie McMullen knocked down a kill to knot up the score yet again and started a 4-1 rally to close out the Ichabods' 29-27 win.
Washburn scored the first point of the fourth set and then grabbed an 11-9 lead after a 5-1 run. Three-consecutive Ichabod errors relinquished that lead and the Bearcats held on for the remainder of the frame. A 4-1 Washburn run late in the set cut the Northwest Missouri lead to one, 22-21, but two kills and a block sealed the victory for the Bearcats.
Northwest Missouri outhit Washburn, .270 to .180. The Bearcats had the advantage in kills, 73-55, and in digs, 100-92, while the Ichabods had the edge in aces, 5-4, and blocks, 8-6.
Jalyn Stevenson led Washburn's offense with 15 kills to go with 15 digs and a team-best two service aces. Against her former team, S. McMullen had 11 kills and a team-high 21 digs.
Corinna McMullen achieved her eighth double-double and had 27 assists, 19 digs, and three kills on five attempts.
Four Bearcats notched double-figure kills and Payton Kirchhoefer led the team with a double-double, recording 22 kills and 22 digs.
