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No. 7-ranked Washburn volleyball set to open MIAA Tournament bid in balanced field
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn will open its postseason on Thursday in the MIAA Tournament against Central Missouri in St. Joseph, Mo. [File photo/TSN]Washburn is coming off a 3-1 win over then-No. 7-ranked UCO last Friday and a 3-0 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith on Saturday to earn a share of the MIAA regular-season championship along with Nebraska-Kearney and Missouri Western.
MIAA Player of the Year Austin Broadie said the Ichabods know they'll need to be at their best to win this week's tournament.
"A thousand percent,'' Broadie said. "Even playing UCM tomorrow, they're good, and just coming out strong against them I think would help set the tone for the tournament.''
Herron agreed.
"From now on you have to (play your best) and that's OK,'' Herron said. "That's just the progression of your team and it should be the progression of your team. You've just got to go play loose, have fun and enjoy what you've been doing and just keep doing what you've been doing, just do it with a tiny bit more focus.''
Broadie, a fifth-year senior, leads the Washburn offense with 298 kills (3.31 per set) while hitting .330, third best on the team. She has started all 27 matches and had 54 blocks with 55 digs. Broadie has 15 double-digit kill matches and ranks third in the MIAA. She is fifth among conference players in points per set and kills per set.
Senior Bella Limback, a first-team All-MIAA pick, is slashing a team-high .469 with 177 kills (2.01 per set) while starting in all 27 matches. She has also added 102 blocks (1.16 per set), also a team-high, and served 12 aces. She has hit over .400 in all but nine matches this season with three double-digit kill efforts. She leads the nation in hitting percentage and is fifth in the MIAA in blocks per set.
No. 2-ranked Washburn men rally to christen new Lee Arena with 85-81 win over Rockhurst
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 2-ranked Washburn University men's basketball used a furious late-game rally Wednesday night to remain unbeaten with an 85-81 win over Rockhurst in the debut of the newly renovated Lee Arena.
Sophomore Tyson Ruud slams home a dunk in Washburn's 85-81 win over Rockhurst Wednesday night in Lee Arena. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Ichabods turned a five-point deficit with 2:29 to play into the four-point win, improving to 5-0 on the season.
"I think when you have the year we had last year and you play really well early and you're ranked where you're ranked, I think the expectations are high and I think our guys felt a little bit of pressure and pressed a little bit in that game,'' Washburn coach Brett Ballard said.
"That happens, but I was proud of how we responded when we could have caved and handled those last couple of minutes. Ultimately, this is really good for us to play in these type of games and it's good for us if we can really learn from it.''
Washburn, which led for the bulk of the game, pushed its lead to a game-high 15 at 62-47 midway through the second half, but Rockhurst responded with its best stretch of the night, using an 11-0 run to quickly close the gap.
The Hawks (2-1) hit three 3-pointers in less than four minutes to take a 79-74 lead, but from that point on the Ichabods outscored the Hawks 11-2 the rest of the game.
Bryson Smith scored 22 points, including the go-ahead basket, in Washburn's 85-81 win over Rockhurst Wednesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Senior Bryson Smith's driving layup with 51 seconds remaining gave Ichabods an 81-79 lead.
Then, after a key defensive stop, sophomore Tyson Ruud stepped to the free throw line and hit one of two free throws to extend the Washburn edge to three.
The Hawks came up empty on the following trip, and when senior Sam Ungashick came up with a steal in the final seconds and sank two free throws with three seconds left, the Ichabods' comeback was sealed.
Smith led the Ichabods with 22 points, including 19 in the second half, on 7 of 11 shooting and a 7 of 9 showing at the free throw line.
"Coach Ballard kind of got on me at halftime and the first half I wasn't playing a good game and I felt like I had to turn it up as a senior and a leader on the team to make winning plays at the end,'' Smith said.
Jack Bachelor had 17 points with four assists as Washburn rallied for an 85-81 win over Rockhurst Wednesday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Sophomore Dillon Claussen had 12 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in Wednesday's 85-81 Washburn win over Rockhurst. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Junior Jack Bachelor added 17 points and four assists while Ruud came off the bench for a career-high 13 points and six rebounds and Dillon Claussen scored 12 points, with five rebounds and four assists.
Ruud has been hampered by injuries in his first two seasons at Washburn, but is now living up to the potential he showed out of Basehor-Linwood.
"It's so good to be healthy,'' Ruud said. "My prayers have been answered and it feels amazing to be out there finally.''
Scots' Savage top defensive player, Monroe Meadowlark Conference coach of the year
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Highland Park senior Tremaine Savage was one of three players who shared Meadowlark Conference defensive player of the year honors while Scots coach Jermaine Monroe was named the conference coach of the year after leading Hi Park to the Meadowlark title.
Tremaine Savage, Highland Park
Jermaine Monroe, Highland Park
Junior G'Honi Montgomery was named to the first team at running back and returner and senior lineman Josh Weeks was a first-teamer on the offensive line.
Defensively, Savage was also named a first-team pick at defensive back while junior defensive lineman Bratton Bennett, junior defensive back Ki'Sioun Drew and senior utility player Genesis Cooper were also named to the first-team defense.
Savage was a second-team selection at wide receiver while senior defensive lineman Philiciono Rice, senior linebacker Aaron Irons and junior defensive back Rayshon Pollard were second-team picks on defense.
