PITTSBURG, Kan. -- No. 14 Washburn kept its 33-match winning streak over Pittsburg State alive on Friday night as they defeated the Gorillas 3-2, extending the winning streak over the in-state rival to 34 games. The Ichabods will wrap up the weekend road swing facing No. 17 Emporia State on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Both teams traded sets to begin the match with the home squad taking the first 25-23 before Washburn (15-3, 4-1 MIAA) won the second set 25-18. Pittsburg State (11-6, 0-4 MIAA) won the third 25-20 but the Ichabods responded with a lopsided 25-11 win in the fourth set to force a fifth. Washburn came from behind in the fifth to win 15-12 and take the match.
Early on in the first the Ichabods led 11-6 after four straight points that ended with an ace from Emma Siron. Pittsburg State responded by taking six of the next seven points to tie the set up. Both sides traded rallies throughout the middle of the set before the Gorillas went on a 7-2 run late to bring up set point and eventually winning the opening set 25-23.
Washburn jumped in front in the second set leading 7-3 after Brooklyn Morrissey took a pass from Lauren Tyler to the floor. Pittsburg State worked its way back into the set, tying the set up at 14. After the set was tied at 17-all, Morgan Sears landed a kill that started a 8-1 run to end the second set 25-18, evening the match up at one set each.
Both sides went back-and-forth early in the third until Pittsburg State opened up the set with an 8-1 run to lead 15-10. The Ichabods came all the way back to pull within one after Sears and Natalie Hedlund combined for a block that made it 18-17. The next four points went to the home squad as they finished off the set winning 25-20.
The fourth set opened with Washburn leading 9-3 after Tyler served an ace. The offense took control in the middle of the set starting with a kill from Siron that started a 7-1 run to lead 20-9. The Ichabods hit .464 in the set as they were able to even the match winning 25-11 in the fourth set.
The Gorillas came out firing in the fifth set leading 7-4 early on. The lead grew to four points at 9-5 before Washburn began to make a comeback, beginning with Hayden Meats landing a kill that was the first point in an 8-1 run to put the Ichabods in front 13-10. They traded points the rest of the way to secure a 15-12 match-clinching victory in the fifth set.
Washburn tallied 64 kills in the match while hitting .213 as a team, they held Pittsburg State to .131 hitting with 55 total kills. Digs went 90-73 in favor of the Ichabods who also led 64-51 in assists.
Brynne Topolski tallied a team-high 18 kills and added four blocks, Hayden Meats was just behind with 16 kills and had 13 digs for a double-double. Brooklyn Morrissey swatted 10 kills while hitting .368 and made five blocks. Emma Siron filled in the setter rotation and dished out 31 assists with 16 digs while adding eight kills. Lauren Tyler had 22 assists with 19 digs and Taylor Rottinghaus scooped a team-high 30 digs.
Crystal Smith had 20 kills for Pittsburg State while hitting .455 and adding nine blocks as well.
