WICHITA, Kan. – No. 6 Washburn volleyball posted its seventh sweep of the season on Friday evening as it defeated Newman on the road, 3-0. Washburn will play another pair of road conference matches next weekend and travel to Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State.
Washburn won by the set scores of 25-21, 26-24, and 25-20 and improved to 12-2 (4-2 MIAA).
The Ichabods got off to a slow start as they didn't take their first lead until a 6-2 run pushed them in front, 20-18. After a Newman (6-8, 1-4 MIAA) timeout, the Jets got the next two points to level the score and force a Washburn timeout. The Ichabods went back in front on a Newman service error and won five of the final six points to take set one, 25-21.
Washburn won the first two points of the second set and tied the set at three and four when Newman put together an 8-2 run and lead, 12-6. Trailing 17-13, the Ichabods jumped in front with six unanswered points. Newman continued to fight and knotted up the score at 21 and 23 when Washburn called a timeout. The Jets scored the next point to sit at set point when the Ichabods answered with three-consecutive kills, including a pair by
Halle Meister, to win the game, 26-24.
In the third set, Washburn rattled off six points in a row to lead 8-2 early. Newman slowly closed the gap to one on six occasions before the Ichabods pulled away by scoring five of the last six points in the frame, just like the first set. In that final 5-1 run, the Ichabods had two aces and three kills all from different players. As a team, Washburn notched 19 kills and hit .349 in the final set.
The Ichabods finished the match hitting .195 while the Jets were held to a .151 clip. The Ichabods led in kills (49-38), digs (78-70), and landed all four service aces that occurred in the match. Newman held a 10-3 advantage in blocks.
Freshman outside hitter
Kealy Kiviniemi hit .389 on the night with a season-best 16 kills and just two errors. Meister notched nine kills on 15 attempts with zero errors for a scorching .600 attacking percentage.
Jalyn Stevenson added eight kills and a team-high 20 digs.
Both
Corinna McMullen and
Sydney Conner achieved a double-double. McMullen had 22 assists with 14 digs and Conner tallied 19 assists and 11 digs. In the back court,
Sophie McMullen and
Sydney Pullen scooped up 16 and 13 digs, respectively.
Two Newman players reach double-figure kills, led by Salome Romp's 15. Riley Daugherty had 10 kills and 19 digs.
