By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 15-ranked Washburn volleyball was pushed to five sets but prevailed to defeat Northwest Missouri State 3-2 on Saturday afternoon in Lee Arena.
Washburn volleyball outlasted Northwest Missouri for a five-set MIAA victory Saturday at Lee Arena. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Washburn held an advantage for most of the first two sets, winning 25-23 and 25-20, and in both the third and fourth sets the Ichabods reached match point but the Bearcats had responses in each one to win 28-26 and 30-28 sets.
In the fifth Washburn was able to create early separation and hold on, winning 15-8.
Neither side created much advantage for themselves early in the first set. Three straight kills from three different players put the Ichabods up 9-8 and after trading a few points Washburn was able to reel off four points in a row to go up 15-10.
Northwest made it 16-15 and pulled within one point twice more in the set but never led as Rachel Schwensen was able to end the set on a kill, 25-23.
The second set was dictated by Washburn's offense, which hit .432 in the set while knocking down 18 kills with just two errors.
Back-to-back kills from Rylee Unruh put the Ichabods up 5-1 early.
Northwest Missouri was able to stick around and won three straight points on two kills and an ace to tie the set at 16.
Another kill from Unruh sparked a 5-0 response which included a block from Austin Broadie and Sophia Cavanaugh. Both sides traded points the rest of the way before Schwensen once again put the set away with two straight kills.
Kills from Cavanaugh and Jalyn Stevenson put Washburn up 8-4 in the third set, a lead they would hold for most of the set.
The Bearcats tied the match at 14 before each side won three straight points to move the score up to 17-all.
A kill from Schwensen, error on NWMSU and a kill from Unruh gave the Ichabods set and match point at 24-22.
The Bearcats were able to win three straight to give themselves the advantage in the set, Washburn won the next two points to take it right back but Northwest Missouri won the final three points, all on kills, to take the set, 28-26.
Each side split the first 20 points of the fourth set for a 10-10 tie.
A few errors by the Ichabods, who had nine in the set, gave the Bearcats a 17-14 advantage.
Neither side won more than three points in a row the rest of the way but Washburn was able to chip away and tie the match at 23 with two more kills from Schwensen.
The Ichabods reached match point twice in the set, at 25-24 and 28-27, but were unable to string together a third straight point. On the other side of the net the Bearcats were able to win three in a row to reach 30 points in the set and win, 30-28.
After recording nine errors the set before Washburn's offense was error-free in the fifth set, knocking down 11 kills on 19 attempts for a blazing .579 hitting percentage.
Northwest won the first point of the fifth set before the Ichabods reeled off six in a row with kills from Schwensen accounting for half of the points.
Back-to-back kills by Broadie and Sydney Conner made it 10-5 and provided the cushion for the rest of the set with Schwensen and Bella Limback combining for the match-winning block.
Washburn outhit the Bearcats .293 to .199 in the match and knocked down 80 kills compared to just 59.
Northwest Missouri held a 73-69 advantage in digs but were out-assisted, 72-54. The Ichabods were able to overcome an 18-5 service error disadvantage as well in the 150-minute affair.
Schwensen hit .500 in the match for a season-high 23 kills while also adding five blocks.
Unruh had 17 kills while hitting .256 and added a team-high 20 digs. Stevenson had 17 kills and hit .326.
Setters Corinna McMullen and Conner reached the 30-assist mark, with 34 and 30, respectively. McMullen notched a double-double with 17 digs.
Limback had a season-high in kills with 13 and added six blocks.
The Ichabods hit the road to face Central Oklahoma at 6 p.m. next Thursday.
