Welcome to Top Sports News
Cair Paravel volleyball tops city schools before falling to state champs
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
The Cair Paravel Latin volleyball team took down two Topeka public school teams and then measured itself against the defending Class 2A champion Thursday at the Topeka West quadrangular.
Cair Paravel volleyball celebrates its victory over Topeka West in Thursday's Topeka West volleyball quadrangular. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Cair Paravel junior Karsyn Hastert prepares to spike the ball in Thursday's Topeka West volleyball quadrangular. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Maranatha Christian Academy from Shawnee, winners of the 2A title a year ago, swept through the field Thursday night, never giving up more than 16 points in a game.
Cair Paravel won what wound up being the tightest battle of the evening in their opening match with Topeka West. The Lions edged the Chargers, 25-19, 25-22.
“We’re a young team. We start two freshmen,” Cair Paravel coach Craig Congdon said. “I saw some girls grow in ways that I haven’t seen them play. I saw them compete. And it’s fun playing against local teams. Highland Park has really improved. They’re coming out with a lot more fire than in past years.”
Coach Isaach Johnson talks to his Highland Park volleyball team during Thursday's Topeka West quadrangular. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Highland Park did not win a game, but it received a lot of praise for how competitive the Scots were in each match.
“Having more competitive teams to play against really helps us to be able to outshine the other teams in (the Meadowlark) League, which is our first goal,” said second-year coach Isaach Johnson. “Ultimately, we don’t want Highland Park to just stay at the same level forever. For the last two years, we’ve tried to continue to include more competitive teams (on the schedule). And it’s already shown that, whereas two years ago against a team like Topeka West where Highland Park was losing 25-0, now we’re actually having competitive games. So, this is a great way for us to be prepared against high level of play.”
Topeka West defeated Highland Park in their final match of the evening, sending the Chargers home on a high note.
Topeka West junior Sydney VanDyke serves the ball during Thursday's Topeka West quadrangular. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
“This is always a very fun home quad for us to kick off on,” said Charger coach Alyx Nash. “I’m kind of sad the way we competed tonight. That was definitely not the team that you will usually see in purple and the way we are expecting to play this year. But we had a lot of good competition tonight and saw some good things to build on.”
No. 12-ranked Ichabod volleyball set to make home debut in Washburn Invitational
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 12-ranked Washburn University volleyball will play at home for the first time in 2025 on Friday and Saturday in the Washburn Invitational, playing four matches in the two-day event.
Washburn volleyball, 4-0 and ranked No. 12 in the nation, will host its invitational tournament this weekend in Whiting Fieldhouse. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn will play its 2025 home schedule in Whiting Fieldhouse as renovations continue in Lee Arena.
"I think we're really excited,'' said sophomore outside hitter Keilah Rivers, who earned Oredigger Classic All-Tournament Team honors last weekend after recording 25 kills with four aces, 27 digs and seven blocks. "Unfortunately we can't play in Lee as it's getting re-done, but I think we've just kind of switched our mindset to being like, 'Oh, we can't play in Lee, but we get to play in Whiting.'
"We get to make that our own gym. We're the only team that gets to play in there, so we're just going in with the mindset that we're going to be undefeated in our own gym and we're going to make that place our own.''
Veteran Washburn coach Chris Herron had similar thoughts.
"I'm anxious to see it because we have never played up there in a match,'' Herron said. "I know it's going to be loud, I know it's going to be tight. We'd like to be playing in Lee, but we're going to make the most of this year and we're going to try to use that to our advantage, the loudness and the tightness and all of that stuff.''
The Ichabods open the tournament against Truman State at 11 a.m. on Friday and will face Minnesota State-Moorhead in the nightcap. On Day 2 Washburn will take on Newman at 10 a.m. and William Jewell at 6 p.m. in the tournament finale.
The tournament will include Washburn, Emporia State and Newman out of the MIAA, while Truman State and William Jewell will come from the GLVC and Minnesota State-Moorhead from the NSIC.
The Ichabods enter the weekend with a 4-0 record after opening the season at the Oredigger Classic with an undefeated record, including three sweeps and a 3-1 win in a dominating performance.
"To be honest with you, at the end of the weekend I didn't know if we were that good or maybe it was just not very good teams,'' Herron said. "And then (Tuesday night) the No. 2 team in the country is Angelo State and they got beat 3-0 by Colorado Christian, who we beat 3-0, so it makes me feel better.
"The greatest thing about the weekend for me was just seeing how well our kids get along and how much they like each other and that's really cool. And the other thing was we got to play everybody and with 22 kids I'm excited that everybody got some game experience.''
Austin Broadie leads the Washburn offense with 34 kills while hitting .364, second best on the team. She has started all four matches and also has logged 10 blocks with nine digs. The senior has two double-digit kill matches.
Senior Corinna McMullen has started all four matches this season to lead Washburn with 80 assists. She has also chipped in three service aces while tying for second on the team with 34 digs. McMullen has recorded two matches with 20-plus assists and two double-doubles.
Alex Dvorak leads WU with 20 blocks on the season while starting all four matches. Offensively she has 21 kills along with hitting .362, third best on the team. She has recorded five or more blocks in two matches. Dvorak earned Oredigger Classic All-Tournament honors.
Junior Taylor Rottinghaus has started all four games as the libero, leading the team with 47 digs. She has chipped in 12 assists while serving four aces as well. Rottinghaus has a season-high of 15 digs this season.
Senior Bella Limback is slashing a team-high .735 with 25 kills while starting all four matches. She has also added 10 blocks and served an ace. She has hit over .500 in every match on the season.
Sophomore Brynne Topolski is second on the Ichabods with 32 kills while hitting .344 and recording eight blocks. She has come off the bench in all four matches and earned a spot on the Oredigger Classic All-Tournament team.
Ichabod soccer on road at Drury before Sunday's home-opener
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University women's soccer team will hit the road again on Friday to face off against the Drury Panthers in a 5 p.m. non-conference matchup.
Washburn soccer will play at Drury on Friday before coming home for a three-game homestand. [File photo/TSN]
"Drury will be another great test for our team. They are well coached and organized," said Washburn coach Davy Phillips. "I'm looking forward to seeing our growth from a really good week of training this week.
"We are learning some really good things about the potential of our team and games like Drury present such a great learning environment as we continue to push our performances and efforts against teams that will prepare us for MIAA play."
The Ichabods spent last weekend in St. Louis, where they tied 1-1 against No. 25 Maryville on Thursday evening and lost 3-0 to Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday afternoon.
The Ichabods feature two freshmen in the starting lineup -- midfielder Bricelyn Betts and forward Kate Hinck.
Washburn also includes many freshmen off the bench, one being Leah Henke, who scored the equalizer in the final seconds of the opening game of the season.
Both WU goalkeepers, senior Alli Harrington and freshman Lili Everley, have played 90 minutes this season, each totaling three saves.
Washburn has out-shot opponents 26-17 and corner kicks 10-5, so far this season.
The Panthers opened their season with a 1-0 home victory over Emporia State.
Drury was previously ranked 14th in the USC preseason polls and received votes this past week.
Last season Drury was knocked out in the NCAA third round by Grand Valley State.
Washburn will play their home opener at 1 p.m. Sunday at Yager Stadium against the University of Mary.
Sunday's match will open a three-game homestand for the Ichabods.
