EMPORIA, Kan. -- For the second time in October, Washburn came out on top over Emporia State in a five-set match, this time away from Topeka on Saturday afternoon. The Ichabods return to Lee Arena for their final homestand of the season beginning with Northwest Missouri State on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m.  

Washburn (16-4, 7-3 MIAA) got the match started with a 25-22 win in set one and followed with a 25-20 victory in the second set. The Hornets (14-6, 6-4 MIAA) responded by winning each of the next two sets 25-21 to force a fifth. It was all Ichabods in the fifth with Washburn jumping ahead for a 15-6 win.  

Early in the first set Washburn used a 5-0 run carried by two straight aces by Sydney Conner to jump up 9-5 early on. They continued to build the lead with a 7-1 run capped off by an ace from Jalyn Stevenson making the score 19-10. The Hornets battled back within two on a pair of occasions but the set was put away by Alex Dvorak on a kill to make it 25-22. The 1-0 match lead was built while being outkilled 17-7 in the set by the home squad.  

Once again the Ichabods jumped ahead early in the second set going up 7-3 after Austin Broadie laced a kill on a pass from Corinna McMullen. Emporia State responded with a 6-1 run to take a brief lead at 11-10. The lead never grew to more than two and Washburn would go back in front for good after Emma Williams landed an ace to cap off a three-point burst. The final five points of the set all went to the Ichabods as Dvorak and Broadie ended the set with kills.  

It was more of the same in the third set with back-to-back kills by Brynne Topolski putting Washburn up 10-5. A solo block by Topolski pushed the lead to five before Emporia State began to roll with a 9-1 run to lead 17-14. The Ichabods battled back, winning six of the next seven points with two coming on aces by Taylor Rottinghaus. Both sides hit under .100 in the set but down the stretch the Hornets took control, winning seven of the last eight points to come from behind.  

The momentum carried into the fourth set with the first six points all going to the home team. Washburn pulled within one point quickly but the burst was pushed away with a 7-1 run for Emporia State to pull ahead 18-10. The gap remained similar until a kill from Taryn Pridgett sparked a 5-1 run for the Ichabods but it came just late as the Hornets took one final point to claim the set 25-21.  

After going back-and-forth Washburn won four out of five points in the fifth to take a 7-3 lead after Broadie and Bella Limback teamed up for a block. The Hornets would pull within two at 8-6 but would not score the rest of the way with the Ichabods hitting .385 as a team with 10 kills and no errors to end the match 15-6.  

Washburn hit .168 as a team with 54 kills in the match while Emporia State tallied 62 kills but hit just .151 as a team due to 33 errors to just 23 for the Ichabods. The Hornets also had a 61-47 advantage in assists and 85-78 in digs while Washburn out served ESU 10-5 in aces.  

The offensive attack was led by a 15-kill effort from Austin Broadie. Alex Dvorak added 14 while hitting .440. Corinna McMullen and Sydney Conner split the setting responsibilities with McMullen logging a 21-assist and 14-dig double-double and Conner dishing out 16 assists. Taylor Rottinghaus had a team-high 17 digs from the back row.  

Weronika Wrzesinska had 19 kills and 14 digs for the Hornets while Rayishon Jackman also had a double-double finishing with 14 kills and 28 digs.