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No. 10-ranked Ichabod volleyball posts second straight MIAA sweep
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 10-ranked Washburn University volleyball posted a second straight MIAA sweep Friday, taking care of Newman in three sets in Wichita.
After taking the first set 25-15, Washburn (14-1 overall, 3-1 MIAA) improved in each of the next two sets, defeating Newman (2-13, 0-4) 25-13 and 25-12 to close out the match.
No. 10-ranked Washburn volleyball improved to 14-1 with Friday's sweep at Newman. [File photo/TSN]
The Jets hung close to begin the first set, with both sides splitting the first 20 points.
Alex Dvorak slammed down a kill from Corinna McMullen, which opened a 7-0 Washburn scoring run capped off by an ace from Taylor Rottinghaus. The Ichabods held onto the advantage, finishing off the set with a 5-0 run and an ace by Kali Henry.
In the second set Washburn jumped out to an 8-3 advantage that quickly grew to 15-6 after a block by Bella Limback and Brynne Topolski. After hitting under .200 in the first set it was the offense that led the charge, hitting .370 as a team in the second to take the 12-point win.
The momentum continued into the third set, with the Ichabods leading 7-2 after a kill by Emery Keebaugh. Newman pulled back within three points before Washburn responded with a 5-0 run. The Ichabods kept the Jets out of arms reach the rest of the way, finishing the set off with four points and a kill by Layla Collins to end the match.
Washburn out-hit Newman in the match .286 to -.009 while recording 41 kills to just 22 for the Jets with 23 errors. Digs went in favor of the Ichabods 52-39 as did assists, 38-19.
It was a balanced effort offensively for the Ichabods with 10 players recording kills led by eight from Austin Broadie while hitting .375. Limback, Keilah Rivers and Keebaugh all had seven kills. McMullen registered a double-double with 20 assists and 10 digs while Rottinghaus led the defensive effort with 13 digs.
Washburn volleyball coach Chris Herron reached 1,100 career wins with Friday's sweep at Newman. [File photo/TSN]
With the win, WU coach Chris Herron reached 1,100 career coaching victories between his time coaching in high school and college.
The Ichabods will wrap up their road trip on Tuesday against Emporia State.
Washburn soccer blanks Nebraska-Kearney, 3-0
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University soccer team rolled to a 3-0 victory over Nebraska-Kearney Friday in Yager Stadium in the Ichabods' MIAA home opener.
"From minute 1 to minute 90, we played the way we want to play," Washburn coach Davy Phillips said.
Washburn freshman Leah Henke had a goal and an assist in Friday's 3-0 MIAA win over Nebraska-Kearney. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn improved to 5-2-2 overall and 2-0-1 in the MIAA while Nebraska-Kearney fell to 2-4-2, 0-1-2.
Washburn picked up a goal in the eighth minute from freshman Kate Hinck, who scored her second goal of the season as fellow freshman Leah Henks assisted her.
The Ichabods would continue their pressure on the Loper's goal and in the 34th minute senior Shaye Taylor headed a shot home for her second goal of the year and her college career, assisted by freshman Lydia Keller.
Washburn would continue its pressing style and would find its third goal in the 54th minute when Aubree Tanksley found Henke, who would bury her shot in the bottom left corner for her fifth goal of the season.
Freshman Lili Everley posted her her fifth straight clean sheet in goal for the Ichabods.
Washburn has won 10 straight matches over the Lopers.
Washburn will be on the road against Missouri Southern on Friday, October 10th, with kickoff set for 6 p.m.
Highland Park football determined to turn short-term negative into long-term positive
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
The renaissance of Highland Park football has been the Capital City’s feel-good story of the past three years.
The Scots ended an eight-year, 65 game losing streak at the beginning of the 2022 school year and have been one of the most entertaining teams in Shawnee County ever since. Highland Park followed up that 6-3 season – which produced college standout Tre Richardson, currently at Vanderbilt – with seasons of 7-3 and 6-3.
Highland Park interim athletic director Brad Snyder said he has no doubt that Scots football coach Jermaine Monroe (pictured) and his team will be able to turn recent negative events into a long-term positive for the program. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Highland Park began the 2025 campaign with two blowout wins and were in the midst of a third when things went awry. In the third period of a game with Kansas City-Schlagle at Hummer Sports Park on Sept. 19, a fight between a few players escalated, with members of both teams leaving the bench. Game officials and police struggled to restore order. Play was not resumed.
The Kansas State High School Activities Association determined that Highland Park would receive the victory against Schlagle, but both teams would be required to forfeit their next game. The Scots were scheduled to visit KC-Harmon on Sept. 26.
Highland Park athletic director Brad Snyder and his staff have been working hard since that night to turn a negative into a positive.
A longtime teacher and activities director at Jardine Middle School, Snyder was asked to take over the Scots’ athletic department on an interim basis at the start of the school year. He was tasked with fostering a culture within the department that emphasized character development as well as competitiveness.
The recent incident, while disappointing, is a chance to further that mission, Snyder said.
“We are taking this very serious,” Snyder said. “We are going to move forward and project a good image. We are going to be better for it. I believe in these kids and believe they are going to show the community how well we’re doing.”
The Scots will have to wait another week to demonstrate their efforts. Not only did they forfeit the Harmon game, but they decided to forego this week’s game – a Friday night home game against Wichita East – due to the number of players serving suspensions or otherwise restricted in their participation.
“As a school, we dealt out consequences that have left us not at full strength,” Snyder said. “Not making any excuses, we could have played Friday. I think we could be competitive with Wichita East, but we also need to understand that our actions cause a rippling effect. I hope these two games have given us time to think about it.”
The forfeitures to Harmon and Wichita East went into the record books as 13-0 losses.
Highland Park has built a program under fifth-year head coach Jermaine Monroe that challenges for titles in the Meadowlark Conference and victories in the postseason. That turnaround has meant a lot to the Highland Park community, Snyder said.
“You see it in the pride of the school. You see it in how the kids feel about themselves,” Snyder said. “Now that they have that taste of success, they want to take the next step.”
Snyder emphasized that the football program is in the right hands.
