By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 9-ranked Washburn Ichabod volleyball, 8-0 on the season, heads to Warrensburg, Mo. for the Comfort Inn Invitational hosted by Central Missouri beginning Friday and Saturday.
Washburn volleyball will compete in the Central Missouri tournament Friday and Saturday in Warrensburg, Mo. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Ichabods will face McKendree and Missouri S&T on Friday before taking on Ouachita Baptist on Saturday in the final day of the tournament.
WU opens the tournament against McKendree at 2:30 p.m. and Missouri S&T at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
On the second and final day the Ichabods take on Ouachita Baptist at 2:30 p.m.
The tournament will include Washburn and Central Missouri from the MIAA while Missouri S&T, McKendree and Ouachita Baptist round out the tournament.
All matches will take place inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center.
The Ichabods have swept five straight matches and moved three spots in the AVCA national rankings after going 4-0 in last week's Washburn Invitational.
Washburn was picked to finish third in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll with 98 total points.
Austin Broadie leads the Washburn offense with 77 kills while hitting .399. She has started all eight matches and has also logged 14 blocks with 19 digs. The senior has four double-digit kill matches and is 33rd nationally in hitting percentage. She was named the Tournament MVP of the Washburn Invitational.
Corinna McMullen has started all eight matches this season to lead Washburn with 155 assists. She has also chipped in seven service aces while ranking tied for third on the team with 52 digs. The senior has delivered four matches of 20-plus assists and three double-doubles.
Alex Dvorak leads the team with 28 blocks on the season while starting all eight matches. Offensively she has made 44 kills along with hitting .435.
Taylor Rottinghaus has suited up as the libero in every match this season, leading the team with 88 digs. She has chipped in 24 assists while serving six aces. The junior has a season-high of 15 digs this season. She earned All-Tournament team honors at the Washburn Invitational.
Bella Limback is slashing a team-high .690 with 25 kills while starting all eight matches. She has added 21 blocks, second most on the team and served five aces. She has hit over .500 in every match this season.
Brynne Topolski is second on the Ichabods with 58 kills while hitting .358. She has come off the bench in all eight matches while making 15 blocks with five digs. The sophomore earned a spot on the All-Tournament team at the Washburn Invitational.
McKendree fell to 1-7 on the year after falling 3-0 to Winona State University last time out on Sept. 13.
Destiny Gray leads the team with 71 kills and eight aces while also ranking second with 77 digs.
The Friday meeting between Washburn and McKendree will be the first ever match between the two teams.
Missouri S&T fell to 2-6 after a 3-2 loss to Wisconsin-Parkside last time out on Sept. 13.
Elly Decker leads the team with 68 kills while serving a team-high 12 aces and making 60 digs, second most on the team.
Ouachita Baptist moved to 7-1 on the year with a fourth win in a row, knocking off Auburn-Montgomery 3-0 last time out on Sept. 13.
Leah Gardner is second on the team with 74 kills (2.74 per set) while hitting a team-high .477. She has started in all eight matches while also leading the team with 23 blocks and has made 13 digs. She ranks third in the nation in hitting percentage.
Washburn leads the all-time series with Ouachita Baptist 3-1 with wins in each of the last three meetings.
Washburn will begin its MIAA season next week at home as the Ichabods host Northwest Missouri State on Friday, Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. They take on Missouri Western the next day.
