By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After dropping a four-set MIAA match Friday night at No. 3-ranked Nebraska-Kearney, No. 6 Washburn University volleyball bounced back on Saturday afternoon to finish its regular-season road schedule with a 3-0 sweep over Fort Hays State.
Washburn sophomore Brynne Topolski (3) posted a match-high 13 kills in Saturday's 3-0 MIAA sweep at Fort Hays State. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
The Ichabods will return to Whiting Fieldhouse next Friday to face Central Oklahoma in a 6 p.m. ranked matchup.
Washburn, 22-3 overall and 11-3 in the MIAA, started hot against the Tigers with a 25-12 win in the first set and built a 2-0 advantage in the match with a 25-23 win in the second set over the Tigers (15-11, 4-10).
The Ichabods then closed out the match with a 25-17 win in the third set to surpass last season's win total.
After Fort Hays State opened the match with a quick start, Washburn used a 5-0 run to lead 8-5 after a kill from sophomore Brynne Topolski. The Ichabods created separation with four points in a row, starting with a kill by senior Austin Broadie.
Defensively, the Ichabods held the Tigers to a minus-.024 hitting percentage while winning the final seven points to take the 13-point first-set victory.
Washburn trailed briefly in the second set before using an early run to go in front, this time with a 6-0 burst capped off by an ace from junior Taylor Rottinghaus to make it 9-4.
Fort Hays State pulled within two with a 5-1 run that was answered by four in a row for the Ichabods.
The Tigers scored six in a row to tie things up at 21-all, but kills from Broadie and Topolski gave Washburn an advantage and three points later sophomore Keilah Rivers ended the set with a kill.
In the third set the Ichabods jumped out to a 10-5 lead with three kills by Topolski in a 5-0 run.
The score got within two points before Washburn scored four straight starting with senior Corinnna McMullen sneaking over a kill. The Ichabods hit a clean .400 in the set to finish off the sweep.
Washburn finished the match hitting .280 overall with 52 kills while Fort Hays State registered 30 kills and an .098 hitting percentage. The Ichabods led in digs 65-45 and had a 40-28 advantage in assists.
Topolski led the Washburn offense with 13 kills while hitting .458 and adding five digs. Rivers added 10 kills and hit .364 with six scoops.
McMullen delivered a double-double with 18 assists and 14 digs while Rottinghaus had a team-high 15 digs in the back row.
Gracie Rains led the Tigers with 10 kills and Kirsten Evans had a match-high 17 digs.
