TOPEKA, Kan. -- No. 9 Washburn worked a fourth straight sweep on Friday night in its return to Whiting Fieldhouse, taking down Fort Hays State in three sets. The Ichabods are back at home on Saturday hosting No. 2 Nebraska Kearney in a top-10 battle.
After working a 25-21 first-set win Washburn (16-1, 5-1 MIAA) did not look back, knocking off the Tigers (13-5, 2-4 MIAA) 25-17 and 25-22 in the final two sets.
With the score tied 4-4 in the first a three-point rally was finished by two straight kills by Bella Limback. Fort Hays State came back to tie the set at 10 before another three point burst by the Ichabods put them back in front. The lead was at five when the Tigers strung together five straight to tie the set at 19, and again at 20. An offense that hit .387 in the set led the way, with Austin Broadie knocking down a kill to end the set 25-21.
A solo block at the net by Limback capped off a 5-1 start to the second set by Washburn. The lead grew to five at 10-5 on another solo rejection, this time by Alex Dvorak. Fort Hays State kept it within five until a three-point rally with kills by Dvorak, Broadie and Keilah Rivers created separation. Corinna McMullen set up Dvorak for the set-ending kill at 25-17.
The third set was a trading of runs, beginning with a tie at five. Washburn held onto the lead until the Tigers knotted things up at 14. Dvorak got two straight kills to begin a 4-0 rally which was surpassed by a 5-0 run for the visitors to go up 19-18. With the match tied at 20, Broadie found the floor for another kill to spark a three-point rally. Emery Keebaugh put the finishing touches on the 25-22 set and 3-0 win with a kill.
Washburn hit a scorching .347 in the match with 45 kills while the Tigers landed 38 kills and hit .147. Assists were in favor of the Ichabods 43-35, as were digs 43-32.
Bella Limback delivered 10 kills on 13 swings to hit .769 while adding five total blocks. Austin Broadie paced the offense with 12 kills while Taylor Rottinghaus had a team-high 14 digs. Corinna McMullen finished with 21 assists and nine digs while Sydney Conner passed out 16 assists.
Gracie Rains finished with 11 kills to lead Fort Hays State.
