By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EMPORIA -- Emporia State volleyball had No. 9-ranked Washburn University's complete attention before Tuesday night's MIAA match even started, and that proved to be bad news for the Hornets.
Bella Limback (20) and Brynne Topolski (3) celebrate a Keilah Rivers kill in Tuesday night's Washburn MIAA sweep at Emporia State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Ichabods, well aware of the fact that the Hornets had won 13 straight matches, including a sweep over a Missouri Western team that handed Washburn its only loss of the season, responded with one of their most complete performances of the season in a 25-22, 25-17, 25-17 sweep at White Auditorium.
Austin Broadie (23) records one of her match-high 10 kills in Tuesday's MIAA Washburn sweep at Emporia State. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"We played great, I thought we played really well,'' veteran Washburn coach Chris Herron said. "I thought we played with so much intensity and I would tell you this, their crowd being as loud and nasty as they were, helped us get to that intensity.
"I'm not thanking them, but I'm saying that they helped us get to that level of intensity. I'm really proud of my kids. I thought we played a solid game all the way around. We out-blocked them, out-hit them.''
Washburn improved to 15-1 overall and 4-1 in the MIAA while Emporia State fell to 13-3 and suffered its first loss in five conference matches.
"We had a nice plan, but I know they had a nice plan, too,'' Herron said. "Ours just was effective.''
"It felt really good,'' Washburn senior star Austin Broadie said. "(Herron) was encouraging us so he definitely thought we played good and it felt really good. I think everyone played really well.
"We came in knowing that they were undefeated in conference and they beat Mo. West so that was really important and we wanted to come out and play our best.''
Washburn never trailed in the opening set and there were just two ties, but Emporia State fought back from an 18-11 deficit to get within a point at 22-21 and 23-22 before the Ichabods closed out the win with back-to-back kills from Emery Keebaugh.
The Hornets took their first lead of the night at 2-1 in the second set, but Washburn steadily took control, taking a 16-9 advantage on a Broadie kill and going in front 19-12 on another Broadie kill.
Emporia State rallied to get as close as 19-16 on a kill from Brailee Bogle, but Washburn scored six of the final seven points to close out the win.
Emporia State led 6-5 in the third set and there was a tie at 9-all before a kill from Broadie and a block from Bella Limback put the Ichabods ahead to stay.
The Hornets were still as close as 17-14 before the Ichabods out-scored ESU 8-3 to close out the match.
Washburn controlled the offense, hitting .289 to Emporia State's .049 along with a 45-28 kill advantage. Assists also went the Ichabods way, 41-25, along with digs, 57-47.
Broadie had a team-high 10 kills while hitting .318 while Keebaugh had nine kills and Alex Dvorak had eight kills and slashed .615 for the match. Sydney Conner notched a double-double with 16 assists and a team-high 11 digs and Corinna McMullen dished out 18 assists with nine digs.
Former Silver Lake standout Camilla Ossola and Lavra Krizanic led Emporia State with seven kills each.
The Ichabods return to Whiting Fieldhouse to take on Fort Hays State Friday at 6 p.m. before hosting Nebraska-Kearney at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
MATCH RESULTS
Washburn def. Emporia State, 25-22, 25-17, 25-17.
