TOPEKA, Kan. -- No. 8 Washburn picked up a pair of victories on day two of the Washburn Invitational over Arkansas Tech and William Jewell, moving to 3-0 on the season. They will head into the final day of the tournament facing Westminster at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Match one: Washburn 3, Arkansas Tech 0
Washburn (2-0) took control early in the set with consecutive kills from Emma Siron making it 5-2. Arkansas Tech (1-1) came back to tie the set up twice and would eventually take the lead as part of a 5-0 rally to go in front 15-13. A kill at the net by Brooklyn Morrissey started a four-point burst that put the Ichabods back in front. They were able to finish the set with three straight points to win 25-21.
Both sides split the first 20 points of the second set. A three-point burst by Washburn created separation to put them in front 15-12. Shannon Frakes was able to sneak past a kill that made the lead five at 20-15, but the Golden Suns pulled back within two points. Just like in the first set the Ichabods took the final three points of the set, winning 25-19 to go up 2-0.
The momentum carried over into the third as Natalie Hedlund led off with a kill that started a 7-0 run to open the set. The lead grew to double-digits at 14-4 after Morrissey took a pass from Frakes to the hardwood. Arkansas Tech was able to get back into it, pulling as close as four points before Washburn put the match away on a kill by Kennedy Derks to end it at 25-19.
The Ichabods tallied 50 kills while hitting .333 as a team and held the Golden Suns to a .171 hitting percentage on 35 kills. They also led 49-39 in digs and held a 45-31 edge in assists.
Emma Siron had 17 kills while hitting .371 and scooping eight digs. Brynne Topolski added 11 kills with three blocks. Shannon Frakes dished out 34 assists with 11 digs for a double-double while Brooklyn Morrissey added eight kills and hit .500.
Match two: Washburn 3, William Jewell 1
The visiting Cardinals (0-2) got out to a quick start in the first leading 9-4. After scoring three straight points they grew the lead to 18-10 and were able to hold the Ichabods (3-0) in check offensively in the first set, winning 25-17.
A six-point rally was bookended with Topolski kills early in the second, putting Washburn up 8-4. An 8-1 stretch for the home squad pushed the lead into double figures at 17-7 after Frakes landed a kill. Morrissey, Siron and Topolski each took turns recording a kill as the Ichabods closed the set with three straight points to win 25-12.
After starting the third set out tied 5-5 the next five points went to Washburn. They steadily grew the lead from there, pushing it to eight points at 20-12 after Morrissey located a kill. Another three-point rally ended the third set at 25-15 with Emery Keebaugh delivering the final point.
Frakes served the first five points of the fourth set, landing two aces as the Ichabods went up 5-0. After Topolski and Chloe Carlgren combined to stuff a William Jewell attack the score was 10-1. Siron slashed a kill that started a 7-0 run putting the Washburn lead at 14. The Ichabods cycled through the roster the rest of the way, winning 25-8 in the final set to close the match.
After hitting over .300 in each of the last three sets Washburn hit .264 for the match with 51 kills while the Cardinals landed 27 kills and hit .031 as a team. Digs went 65-41 in favor of the Ichabods as did assists, 43-25.
Brooklyn Morrissey led the way with 12 kills and hit a scorching .647 with 7 blocks as well. Brynne Topolski hit .500 with 11 kills while Shannon Frakes had 33 assists and Avery Willey scooped a career-high 17 digs.
