EMPORIA, Kan. -- No. 14 Washburn earned its first ranked victory of the season on Saturday night as they took down No. 17 Emporia State 3-2 in White Auditorium, thwarting Hornets comeback bid. The Ichabods will return home for one match as they play host to Central Missouri on Tuesday, Oct. 6 inside Whiting Fieldhouse at 6 p.m.
After Washburn (16-3, 5-1 MIAA) took the first two sets, 25-15 and 25-22, Emporia State (15-3, 2-2 MIAA) responded with 25-22 and 25-19 set victories to force a fifth set. After trailing 8-4 in the fifth set, the Ichabods rallied to come from behind and win 15-13.
The first two points of the match went to the home team before Washburn went on a 9-1 run to lead 9-3 after Emma Siron slashed a kill. A kill by Morgan Sears later on capped off a 5-1 burst and extended the lead to double figures at 17-7. The Ichabods ended the first set with five straight points, hitting .455 as a team to win the opening frame 25-15.
Both sides traded the first 12 points in the second set before each going on 4-0 runs. The lead continued to trade hands throughout the middle of the second set before Washburn was able to create some separation with a 4-0 run to lead 19-16 after Lauren Tyler set up Hayden Meats for a kill. The Hornets were able to come back, pulling within one at 23-22 before an attack error and block from Siron and Brooklyn Morrissey ended the set 25-22 for the Ichabods.
Emporia State jumped out to a 7-11 lead in the third set just before Washburn scored four in a row to tie the set up at 11. They would never take the lead as the Hornets came back with four in a row and would later push the lead to five at 23-18 before closing out the set 25-22.
One again in the fourth set Emporia State got out to an early lead, this time leading 11-6 after three straight points. The Ichabods were able to rally and pull within one after a kill from Morrissey but once again they could not pull in front. The Hornets had their most efficient offensive set of the night to hold on 25-19 and force a fifth set.
In the final set the home squad got out to an 8-4 lead. A successful challenge by Washburn started a six-point rally that swung the set towards the Ichabods as they led 10-8. Emporia State was able to tie the set up at 13 before kills from Natalie Hedlund and Meats closed out the set and match 15-13.
Washburn ended the day hitting .191 with 59 kills while the Hornets tallied more kills with 63, but were held to .174 hitting as a team. Both sides collected 74 digs while assists went 59-54 in favor of ESU.
Hayden Meats tallied 16 kills for a second straight day, hitting .208 with 11 digs for a double-double. Natalie Hedlund finished in double figures with 13 kills and hit .270. Emma Siron finished one kill shy of the first triple-double for Ichabod volleyball in more than 20 years as she slashed nine kills with a team-high 24 assists and added 10 digs. Lauren Tyler also had a double-double with 18 kills and 13 digs while Taylor Rottinghaus scooped 17 digs in the back row.
Emporia State was led by 15 kills from Lavra Krizanic and 47 assists by Brailee Bogle.
