EMPORIA, Kan. -- No. 9 Washburn completed a nine-set road trip with a third straight sweep knocking off Emporia State in three sets on Tuesday night. The Ichabods return to Whiting Fieldhouse to take on Fort Hays State, Friday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m.
The Hornets (13-3, 4-1 MIAA) rallied late but were turned away by Washburn (15-1, 4-1 MIAA) in the first set 25-22 and the Ichabods carried the momentum into 25-17 victories in each of the next two sets.
After kills by Keilah Rivers and Alex Dvorak, Washburn had built an 8-4 lead in the first. Emporia State responded with four in a row to tie things up. Shortly after, a kill by Brynne Topolski kickstarted a 7-1 run for the Ichabods to go in front 15-9. The Hornets were kept at arms length until three straight points made it 22-21. The run was shut down with back-to-back kills by Emery Keebaugh ending the first set at 25-22.
Washburn kept up the attack to being the second, leading 9-7 before a 6-1 rally was started on a block by Topolski and Bella Limback. Emporia State closed the gap to three points at 19-16 at which point the Ichabods ended the set on another 6-1 run to go up 2-0 in the match.
Both teams split the first 18 points of the third set nine each way. The 10th went to Washburn on an Austin Broadie kill, it was the start of a 5-1 run to go in front 14-10. Another 5-1 burst was capped off by another Broadie kill on a pass from Corinna McMullen making it 20-14. The Ichabods held on from there, winning the final three points of the set to claim a 25-17 win.
Washburn controlled the offense of the game, hitting .289 to Emporia State's .049 along with a 45-28 kill advantage. Assists also went the Ichabods way, 41-25, along with digs, 57-47.
Austin Broadie had a team-high 10 kills while hitting .318 and Alex Dvorak had eight kills and slashed .615 for the match. Sydney Conner notched a double-double with 16 assists and a team-high 11 digs and Corinna McMullen dished out 18 assists with nine digs.
Camilla Ossola and Lavra Krizanic led Emporia State with seven kills each.
