By Jim Henry
jhenry@joplinglobe.com
No. 8 Washburn, beginning and finishing with a flurry, downed Missouri Southern 3-0 (25-18, 27-25, 25-13) Wednesday night in an MIAA volleyball match before 617 fans on student-athlete night at Robert Ellis Young Gymnasium.
The Lady Blues (19-2, 4-2 MIAA) grabbed an 11-1 in the first set, then scored 18 of the final 19 points in the third set to erase a 12-7 deficit. Molly Lacy, who led Washburn with 15 kills, and Monica Miesner, who added 10 kills, combined for seven kills during the closing spree.
Ashley Hill’s three kills and two by Jeanna Feldman keyed the Lions (6-12, 1-5) to their early lead in the final set. Both slammed nine kills in the match, one more than Kara Robeson.
“I think we showed moments that we can play with anybody in the conference,” Lions coach Chris Willis said. “But that’s what separates great teams from good teams is when you can play at that level all the time.
“Obviously we get down 11-1 in the first set. We made a great run to come back (within 17-14 after two kills by Feldman and one by Hill). We actually took control of the second set and lose a close battle, a block, a ball-handling error away from winning that set.
“Our kids bounced back and got an early lead in that third set. Then was the only disappointing thing ... our kids weren’t ready to finish that third set. When you’re playing at this level, you have to learn to step on a team’s throat when you get them down. Great teams know how to do that.”
Three points was the biggest lead during the second set, which included 12 ties and three lead changes. The Lions used kills by Brittany Vavao-Huggins and Hill and a block by the same pair for a 24-23 lead before two kills by Caitlin Conley helped the Lady Blues win the set.
Setters Sarah Joles and Elin Skei had 17 and 15 assists, respectively, for the Lions. Kari Hammerbacher led the defense with 17 digs, and Hill had 10.
“Our setters are more balanced in their assists,” Willis said. “Elin Skei is setting the ball much more effectively right now. Our outside hitters (Hill and Feldman) are hitting much better today. They’ve been struggling for the last two weeks.
“We can take some things away from this that are positive, but to play in the MIAA you have to be great on every contact of the ball.”
The Lions have road matches against Fort Hays State on Friday night and Emporia State on Saturday before playing host to Pittsburg State next Wednesday.
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