TOPEKA, Kan. -- No. 13 Washburn volleyball was swept for the first time in the 2026 season losing 3-0 at the hands of No. 7 Nebraska Kearney on Saturday night. The Ichabods will go on the road for the first time in conference play facing Northwest Missouri State at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
The Lopers (13-1, 2-0 MIAA) set the tone early winning 25-15 in the first set and followed it up with 25-13 and 25-17 set victories to close out the match.
Nebraska Kearney jumped in front 9-4 early on but Washburn (11-3, 1-1 MIAA) scored three in a row to pull within two after Brynne Topolski slashed a kill. The Lopers came right back to score four in a row and would push the lead up to nine in the middle of the set. The visitors ended the set on a 4-0 run to take it 25-15.
The first six points of the second set went to Nebraska Kearney, which later extended the run to make it a 15-2 start to the set. Washburn was unable to cut the deficit down into single digits after that point as the visitors hit over .300 in the set to win 25-13.
The Ichabods were able to take an early 4-3 lead in the third but it was short lived as the Lopers scored the next five points in a row. With the score at 11-8 after a kill by Kennedy Derks the visitors went on a 4-0 run to lead 15-8. Late in the set Washburn pulled within six but were unable to make up the deficit, falling 25-17.
Nebraska Kearney finished the match hitting .330 as a team with 44 kills while the Ichabods were limited to a .072 hitting percentage and 32 knockdowns. Digs went 49-43 in favor of the Lopers as did assists, 42-31.
Hayden Meats came off the bench to lead Washburn with seven kills while hitting .400. Shannon Frakes had 24 assists along with five digs and Taylor Rottinghaus had a team-high 13 digs defensively.
Carly Purdy led Nebraska Kearney with 18 kills while hitting .410 and Ellie Eckman gave out 27 assists.
