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Ichabod women knock off No. 3-ranked Fort Hays State, 67-64
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's basketball achieved its biggest victory over a nationally-ranked team in more than 10 years on Saturday in Lee Arena, with the Ichabods taking a 67-64 MIAA thriller over No. 3 Fort Hays State, 67-64.
Washburn celebrates its 67-64 win over No. 3-ranked Fort Hays State Saturday in Lee Arena. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Getting a combined 46 points from seniors Yibari Nwidadah and Gabi Giovannetti, the Ichabods handed the Tigers their first loss of the season while ending a 10-game Fort Hays State winning streak in the series.
"It was a big one and I think it was a real testament to the work these seniors have done because when we need them down the stretch they just seem to keep showing up and now the confidence is coming that they've earned and they've worked really hard for,'' Washburn coach Lora Westling said.
"It was just a great team win and that's what we've been about this week.''
Nwidadah notched her first double-double of the season with 24 points and 10 rebounds while Giovannetti scored 22 points with three assists and three 3-pointers and senior Payton Sterk contributed six points and five assists.
"Every day I'm just trying to be as dominant as I can,'' Nwidadah said. "I know that's my role on this team, so doing that I think makes our team as successful as we can be.''
It was a game of runs early on with Washburn, now 6-2 overall and 2-0 in the MIAA, throwing the first punch as the Ichabods led 8-1 after an inside bucket from Nwidadah.
Fort Hays State (7-1, 1-1) answered with the next 18 points in the game to lead 19-8. The Ichabods finished the opening quarter by scoring the final four points as they weathered the storm while shooting 4 of 18 from the field.
The Tigers opened the second quarter by extending the lead back to 11 points at 28-17 with 6:28 to play, but shots started to fall for Washburn, which put together an 8-0 run that included two buckets by Britany Kogbara inside.
The game was tied in the final minute of the second quarter after a 3-pointer by Giovannetti and the Ichabods entered the locker room leading 35-32 after Nwidadah converted an and-one in the final seconds of the half.
Fort Hays State quickly tied the game up in the third quarter, but Washburn had an answer with baskets from Nwidadah and Giovannetti.
In the final three minutes of the quarter the duo combined for eight straight points to give the Ichabods a double-digit lead for the first time at 51-40 with 1:41 to play in the third. Sterk beat the buzzer on a jumper to keep the lead at 10 (55-45) heading to the fourth.
The first four points in the fourth came from Fort Hays State and the Tigers continued to cut away, with the lead at just two points at the 4:49 mark.
Minutes later Giovannetti got three the old fashioned way, stretching the lead to five. The basket was matched with a 5-0 run for Fort Hays State to tie the game with 44 seconds remaining.
Out of a timeout Nwidadah got a layup to fall inside and on the other end would come up with a block to help secure the second ranked victory of the season for Washburn.
"We talked a lot about staying the course,'' Nwidadah said. "I think in any basketball game it's a game of runs, so we just had to stop their runs as much as we could and fight back as well.''
Even though Washburn is just two games into the conference season, Giovannetti said Saturday's win should give the Ichabods confidence moving forward.
"I've never beat Fort Hays the whole time I've been here, so it gives us a lot of confidence,'' Giovannetti said. "We just have a lot of confidence within our team and a lot of confidence in each other.''
Washburn Rural girls basketball will have different mix heading into 2025-2026
By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Perennial state girls power Washburn Rural will have to make do without junior star and Kansas State commit Maddie Vickery for at least the early portion of the 2025-2026 season.
Kevin Bordewick begins his 17th season as Washburn Rural's girls basketball head coach and his 33rd in the program. [File photo/TSN]
But Kevin Bordewick, who is starting his 17th season as the Junior Blues' coach in basketball, said his team has to view Vickery's absence as a chance to get other Rural players accustomed to competing at the Class 6A level.
“It’s going to give us a great opportunity to have others to step up and do other things more,'' Bordewick said. "I’m really excited about the kids we have coming back and some freshmen who are going to step up and play major minutes and we’re going to have a good mix.''
“We work a lot on ball movement and working together instead of relying on (Vickery) to score and rebound for us. I feel like we’ve been more aggressive on shooting, driving and other aspects, too,” senior Ella Hirschi said.
Hallie Walker, Hirschi and Josie Carlgren will be the seniors of this season's Washburn Rural group.
Bordewick said junior Brooklyn Rutherford will be a key contributor and got some big minutes last season. Kailyn Peterson is a post player Bordewick said the Junior Blues will use and he said four freshmen will get minutes.
“We’re all really hard workers,'' Carlgren said. "We want to get better every single day at practice, we all push each other to get better. If there is something that someone needs to work on, we’ll keep them on track, and that goes for everybody.''
Bordewick has led Washburn Rural to 10 6A state titles in volleyball and basketball and said there’s no secret ingredient to success, but said it does come down to some variables.
“You can’t win if you don’t have good athletes,” he said. “They have to work hard, they have to believe in themselves and I think what we try to get out of them is really up to them.
"I told the freshmen, 'We’re going to be on you even as freshmen because if you’re on this varsity group, you’re a varsity ballplayer, you’re not a freshman so we’re going to treat you as a varsity ballplayer and we have standards that we don’t lower no matter what.''
Ichabod soccer punches ticket for NCAA Final Four with 3-2 win over Missouri- St. Louis
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University soccer team advanced to the NCAA Final Four with a 3-2 Saturday victory over Missouri-St. Louis in St. Louis.
Washburn soccer celebrates after Saturday's 3-2 Elite Eight road win over Missouri-St. Louis. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn soccer displays its NCAA Final Four sign after Saturday's 3-2 win over Missouri-St. Louis. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
With the win the 14-3-6 Ichabods avenged a 3-0 loss to the Tritons in Washburn's second game of the season.
"That was a great college soccer game,'' Washburn coach Davy Phillips said. "UMSL is a good team that is tough to score on, and to get three today was such a big-time effort from the ladies."
"I thought we were really good for large spells of the game. We had to really earn it today and battle through some challenges that this game provided, but I'm so proud of our team and their character to battle back and find the game winner."
Washburn heads to the Final Four for the second time in program history, and for the second time in three years, traveling to Colorado Springs, Colo. to face Franklin Pierce in a 4 p.m. (Central time) semifinal on Thursday.
Washburn soccer poses for a team picture after earning a trip to the Final Four in Colorado Springs with Saturday's 3-2 win over Missouri-St. Louis. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]Following re-seeding for the Final Four, Washburn is the No. 1 seed and Franklin Pierce No. 4.
The opening 20 minutes were back and forth, with both teams having chances to score first.
The Ichabods would start to gain some momentum shortly with two shots in the 26th and 27th minute, both saved by the UMSL goalie, but after a corner was taken in the 39th minute by Bricelyn Betts that was fumbled by the UMSL goalie, Shaye Taylor would find the back of the net to put Washburn up, 1-0.
Just one minute, 19 seconds later, Aubrey Tanksley would put the Ichabods up 2-0 heading into the halftime break. It was Tanksley's second goal of the season, coming in back-to-back matches.
The Tritons would not go down without a fight and would get one back in the 51st minute to cut the Ichabod lead to 2-1. UMSL would find an equalizer seven minutes later in the 58th minute from a cross that was headed in.
The Ichabods would respond right back four minutes later in the 62nd minute. After Leah Henke's initial shot was saved, Henke put away the rebound to put Washburn back on top 3-2.
It was the freshman's 12th goal of the year, moving her into the No. 4 spot all-time for goals in a single season, passing fellow Bishop Carroll product Khloe Schuckman, who had 11 in 2023.
The Ichabods outshot the Tritons 14-12 and had seven corners to just two taken by UMSL.
Washburn freshman goalkeeper Lili Everley registered six saves during the match.
