PITTSBURG, Kan. -- No. 10 Washburn bounced back from its first loss of the season to win in three sets over Pittsburg State on Thursday evening in the first MIAA road contest of the season. The Ichabods will stay on the road facing Newman at 6 p.m. on Friday in Wichita.
In all three sets Washburn (13-1, 2-1) hit over .300 as a team, beginning with a commanding 25-12 first set win followed by 25-17 and 25-19 victories over the Gorillas (7-6, 1-2 MIAA).
After Pittsburg State went up 4-1 to open the match the Ichabods responded with a 7-1 run started by a kill for Bella Limback. The scores stayed within four until nine straight points went to Washburn, beginning with Corinna McMullen setting up Austin Broadie for a kill. The offense hit .379 as a team while holding the Gorillas to a below zero hitting percentage to take the set 25-12.
In the second, Washburn jumped out to a 3-0 lead with an ace from McMullen beginning the set. The lead continued to grow slowly until the Ichabods broke the set open with five straight points, capped off by two straight kills by Emery Keebaugh to make it 17-8. A kill by Broadie made it set point at 24-13, Pittsburg State scored four more until Broadie slashed another kill to end the second.
Washburn took advantage of miscues by the Gorillas to build a 7-2 lead in the third. The advantage grew to eight points at 14-6 before Pittsburg State went on its biggest run of the night, a 9-2 burst to pull within one. The Ichabods bounced back with three points in a row, starting with a kill by Brynne Topolski. The advantage was held until reaching match point on a Broadie kill with the match coming to a close on a kill by Keebaugh from McMullen at 25-19.
With a consistent effort, the Ichabods hit .361 as a team with 44 kills while holding Pittsburg State to .085 hitting and just 27 kills. They also had a 53-37 advantage in digs and led 44-25 in assists.
Austin Broadie led the way on offense with 13 kills while hitting .458. Corinna McMullen delivered 25 assists while also scooping nine digs. Taylor Rottinghaus controlled the back row with 14 digs.
Anna Dean paced the Gorillas with six kills.
