ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The No. 5-seeded and No. 20-ranked Washburn University Ichabods advanced to the 2022 MIAA Volleyball Tournament championship after knocking off No. 1-seeded and No. 10-ranked Northwest Missouri State University in four sets at Civic Arena.
 
The Ichabods won by set scores of 24-26, 25-23, 26-24 and 29-27. The loss snaps Northwest's 12-match win streak and drops the Bearcats to 24-6 overall this season. Washburn improved to 23-7 overall and will take on No. 2-seeded Nebraska-Kearney in Saturday's MIAA Tournament final.
 
Northwest had defeated Washburn five consecutive times entering Friday's MIAA Tournament quarterfinal. However, the Ichabods came back from a set down to take sets two, three and four for the victory.
 
Northwest's Payton Kirchhoefer tied her career-high with 26 kills. Her 26 kills are tied for the fourth-most in a four-set match in program history. Kirchhoefer's 75 attacks rank as the sixth-most ever in a match by a Bearcat performer. It also ranks as the fourth-most attacks by a Bearcat in a four-set match in school history. Her previous career-high for attacks in a match was 67 earlier this season against Washburn.
 
The Bearcats had 229 total attacks in the four-set match – the most in program history in a four-set match. The previous match-high for four sets was 219 against Washburn on Sept. 23, 2006. The 229 total attacks rank tied for the fifth-most in a match in school history.
 
Northwest had to battle back from an early first-set deficit. Washburn scored six of the first seven points of the set. However, the Bearcats were not rattled. Washburn still had a 16-11 lead before Northwest began whittling away at the margin. Northwest eventually knotted the set for the first time at 22-22. Following a timeout by Washburn, the Ichabods maintained two small leads at 23-22 and 24-23. Northwest held off a Washburn set point and put together a three-point run to capture the first-set win, 26-24. Payton Kirchhoefer landed two of the points and Karsen Van Scoy delivered a service ace for the three-point run. The first set was nearly dead even in all stat categories as both squads had 34 digs, 17 kills and two service aces.
 
The second set featured 10 ties before Washburn was able to fend off the 'Cats and even the match at 1-1. Washburn took a 10-7 lead only to have Northwest respond with a 7-1 run to take a 14-11 lead. Washburn bounced back with a 5-0 spurt and took a 19-17 lead. Northwest came back and took a 23-22 and looked to be in control. However, after a Washburn timeout the Ichabods tallied the final three point of the set to take it, 25-23.
 
Washburn tallied a crucial win in the pivotal third set with a 26-24 triumph. The Ichabods led 11-7 but the Bearcats answered with a 4-0 run to knot the set at 11-11. Washburn took an 18-16 lead only to see Northwest level the set again at 19-19. Washburn took a 24-22 lead and looked to close it out. However, Kirchhoefer landed a kill and Van Scoy fired an ace to tie it again at 24-24. Washburn withstood the Northwest rally and the Ichabods tallied the final two points of the set to take it, 26-24.
 
Northwest was poised to force a fifth and deciding set. The Bearcats took a 7-3 lead to begin the fourth. Despite Washburn clawing back to within a point on seven occasions, Northwest looked to have the set in-hand with a 22-17 lead following the 25th kill of the match from Kirchhoefer. However, Washburn ran off five straight points to even the set at 22-22. Following an Ichabod attack error, Northwest re-took the lead at 23-22. Washburn responded by taking the next two points to set up its first match point at 24-23. Kirchhoefer hammered her 26th kill to tie it up at 24-24. Washburn could not convert its second match point and the set was level against 25-25. A Kirchhoefer error gave Washburn its third match point at 26-25, but Jaden Ferguson racked up a kill to tie it again at 26-26. Abby Brunssen collected her career-high tying 13th kill of the match to give Northwest a set point at 27-26. Washburn would answer the call and score three straight points to finish off the match at 29-27.
 
NOTES: Jaden Ferguson set a career-high with 33 digs surpassing her old mark of 29 set against Washburn earlier this season … Abby Brunssen tied her career-high with 13 kills set earlier this year against Western Washington … Brunssen also recorded a team-best five blocks … Alyssa Rezac tallied a double-double with 50 assists and 18 digs … freshman Karsen Van Scoy and Ferguson tied for team-high honors with three service aces.