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Senior middle hitter, Austin Broadie, spikes over the net while leading Washburn with 23 kills against Missouri Western.
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Senior middle hitter, Alex Dvorak, attacks the ball in the match against Missouri Western. Washburn lost the match.
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Assistant volleyball coach, Shayla Conner, speaks with the athletes after Missouri Western scored 2-1. She confirmed that the players were putting their best effort forward.
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Senior outside hitter, Bella Limback and Broadie, extend for a block at the net after helping the Ichabods battle. The crowd was packed.
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Senior setter, Corinna McMullen, settles the ball to Bella Limback, senior outside hitter. They made the point for the team.
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McMullen ranks 7th in the conference in assists per set. She started all 11 matches this season to lead Washburn with 227 assists.
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Junior defensive specialist and liber, Taylor Rottinghaus, has suited as libero (specialized defensive player) in every match this season. She led the team with 141 digs.
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Junior outside hitter/middle blocker Natalie Hedlund, attacks the ball for a point. She had played in nine previous matches, making five starts and recording 44 kills.
Washburn volleyball’s undefeated run came to a close Saturday night at Whiting Field House as the Ichabods fell to Missouri Western in four sets.
The loss drops Washburn to 12–1 overall and 1–1 in MIAA play. Missouri Western improved to 9–4 and 1–1 in conference.
The Griffons were led by Taylor Russell, who posted 18 kills on .444 hitting and Noelle Sutcliffe, who added 15 kills and 12 digs. As a team, Missouri Western hit .227 compared to Washburn’s .177 and out-dug the Ichabods 83–74.
Despite the result, Washburn had strong performances on both sides of the ball. Senior middle hitter, Austin Broadie, carried the offense with 23 kills on .362 hitting, while senior outside hitter, Bella Limback, added 13 kills without committing an error. Sophomore outside hitter, Brynne Topolski, anchored the back row with 14 digs and sophomore outside hitter Keilah Rivers dished out 24 assists. The Ichabods also finished with 10 team blocks compared to Missouri Western’s 9.
Head coach Chris Herron emphasized that the match was less about the loss and more about how the team responds.
“Now it’s about how we respond. This week will show what we’re made of. We just talked about it, are we soft or are we tough? We’ll see,” Herron said.
Freshman middle blocker, Brooklyn Morrissey, said the biggest adjustment in stepping up to the college level from high school level has been the speed of the game.
“The competition and the pace of the game is so much faster and so much better. I’m just adjusting to that,” Morrissey said.
Morrissey also praised the team’s unity.
“Our team is very tight-knit, and we always stay together no matter what. There’s no blaming each other. I think it just came down to little errors we’ve been making the past few games, and we need to work on that during practice,” Morrissey said.
Broadie reflected on her approach as a leader on the floor.
“Most of the time I’m going to hit it hard, but I like to try and read the block and just take what they give me, whether that’s line or cross,” Broadie said. “There are a lot of hard times and fun times, but focusing on the good times with your teammates and having fun, volleyball is a game, and it’s a blessing.”
Washburn will look to bounce back quickly as MIAA play continues with another home match next week inside Whiting Field House.
Edited by Anson Appelhanz and Arohi Rai
