TOPEKA, Kan. – The No. 14-ranked Washburn volleyball team trailed 2-1 before storming back to win the fourth set by 10 points and force the decisive fifth, but the Ichabods were unable to keep the momentum going as they fell in the fifth set, 15-7, to Missouri Southern on senior night. Washburn will wrap up the regular season next week at Central Missouri and Missouri Western, Nov. 4-5.
 
Washburn lost by the set scores of 25-14, 22-25, 26-28, 25-15, and 7-15 and are now 20-6 (12-6 MIAA) on the season.
 
Prior to the match, seniors Sophie McMullen, Halle Meister, Kassidy Pfeiffer, and Sydney Pullen were recognized on the court for their contributions to the Washburn volleyball program.
 
After the senior festivities wrapped up, the Ichabods quickly got to work in the first set and jumped out to a 10-4 lead after scoring 10 out of 12 points. Washburn limited Missouri Southern to a miniscule .029 attacking percentage with six kills and five errors while the Ichabods had 17 kills. Washburn won the last two points in the 25-14 victory on a kill from Austin Broadie and a Missouri Southern attacking error.
 
Missouri Southern (12-14, 7-10 MIAA) jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the third and led 10-6 when Washburn started to make its move. A 7-2 rally gave the Ichabods their first lead of the game, 13-12, before the Lions answered with four of the next five points to jockey back in front, 16-14. Washburn regained the lead at 18-17 after a 4-1 run before the teams took turns scoring one point at a time until Missouri Southern tied up the set at 22 and closed out the win with four-consecutive points.
 
The third set consisted of 11 tie scores and six lead changes. Washburn trailed 14-8 when it put together an 11-2 run to go up, 19-16. Missouri Southern went back up, 22-20, after scoring six of the following seven points. The Ichabods knotted up the score at 22, 23, and 24 and went up to set point on a kill by Broadie, but couldn't put it away. Both teams committed a service error and Washburn led 26-25 when Missouri Southern finished strong again and closed out the set with three-straight points to take a 2-1 lead.
 
Washburn found itself in a 9-2 deficit early in the fourth before pulling within two, at 10-8, with a 5-0 run that included three-consecutive kills from Jalyn Stevenson. The sophomore outside hitter came through in the clutch again as she was behind the service line for another run of five-straight points in which she landed two service aces to give the Ichabods their first lead of the fourth, 15-13. It was Washburn's turn to finish the set strong as the Ichabods forced the fifth set after ending the fourth frame on a 10-1 run.
 
It was back-and-forth scoring to begin the final stanza with neither team leading by more than one point until Missouri Southern ripped off a 6-0 run to lead, 10-5. A kill from S. McMullen briefly stopped the rally until the Lions got back to work and finished off the match win with a 5-1 run.
 
The Ichabods outhit the Lions, .209 to .155. Washburn led in kills (63-57), digs (100-88), and aces (8-7) while Missouri Southern had the advantage in blocks (12-9).
 
Washburn's offense was led by Stevenson and S. McMullen who each had 13 kills. Stevenson also added 17 digs and was responsible for five of the Ichabods' eight service aces. Broadie was close behind in kills with 12 and a .346 attacking percentage. Kealy Kiviniemi had six kills, six digs, and was a part of seven blocks.
 
Setters Corinna McMullen and Sydney Conner each had a double-double with nearly identical numbers. McMullen had 25 assists and 17 digs while Conner recorded 24 assists and 12 digs. Pullen racked up a career-high 29 digs and added six assists and two aces.
 
Three Lions finished in double-figure kills led by Fernanda Canedo's 16.