KEARNEY, Neb. -- No. 21 Washburn (13-5, 7-4) won its first set Tuesday evening but fell in the next three losing to No. 8 Nebraska-Kearney (21-1, 11-1) on the road 3-1. The Ichabods have a short turnaround on a busy week facing Central Missouri and Missouri Southern in Topeka on Friday and Saturday at 6 p.m.
The first set went Washburn's way from start to end and was won 25-18. The Ichabods dropped the second set 25-16 and two close sets in the third and fourth 26-24 and 25-23.
Washburn got off to a 6-0 start in the first set with half of the points coming on kills by Rachel Schwensen. The Lopers won six in a row shortly after to pull within two points at 10-8. A 4-2 run beginning with a kill by Iyannah Jackson settled things down and put the lead back up to six. Washburn was able to secure four points in a row before getting to set point and Sydney Conner was able to assist Jalyn Stevenson in putting the set away at 25-18.
The Ichabods led 5-3 in the second set before Nebraska-Kearney reeled off six straight points to go up. Bella Limback and Austin Broadie combined for a block which capped off a 4-0 run to tie the set back up but Washburn never took the lead again in the set. A seven to one run in the Lopers favor turned the tide of the set and they were able to even the match at one, winning 25-16.
Washburn led for much of the third set with Broadie and Jackson combining for a block to make it 8-5 in the Ichabods' favor. Schwensen knocked down another kill to push the lead to six at 13-7. Both teams had 16 kills in the third set and Nebraska-Kearney started to get some of its, knocking down three in a four-point burst to pull within two.
Consecutive kills from Schwensen and Jackson gave Washburn a 20-16 lead but they were unable to hold on with six of the next seven points going to the Lopers to go up 22-21. Even after that the Ichabods got three of the next four points to force set point but Nebraska-Kearney got the final three points on a block and two kills to win 26-24.
For the first time in the match it was the Lopers who jumped ahead early, leading 9-4 after two straight points. Washburn responded to pull within a point in three instances the remainder of the set but never got closer. A set hitting .405 as a team with 18 kills was too much for the Ichabods to overcome. The Lopers led 24-18 before Washburn won five straight points to make it 24-23 but UNK was able to end the match on a kill.
The Ichabods were outhit in percentage .225 to .206 but had a narrow advantage in kills 60 to 58. They also had more digs, 79-72, and assists 59-56. Five more attacking errors and two less blocks served to be the margins of the game.
Rachel Schwensen and Jalyn Stevenson each had 17 kills to pace Washburn, hitting .361 and .229 respectively in doing so. Stevenson had a double-double with 17 digs in the match. Corinna McMullen also had a double-double finishing with a team-high 31 assists along with 10 digs. Taylor Rottinghaus mad 19 digs to lead the WU defense.
Emilee Lane and Mia Berg led the Nebraska-Kearney offense with 15 kills each while Peyton Neff had 51 assists in the match.
