MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team picked up a 3-0 sweep of the No. 25-ranked Washburn University Ichabods as Olivia Dir recorded a career-high tying 18 kills.

Northwest won by set scores of 25-19, 25-21 and 25-19. Northwest moved its record to 13-10 overall and 8-7 in MIAA play. Washburn dropped to 14-8 overall and 8-7 in league play.

Dir tied her career-high as she pounded down 18 kills. She also tallied 15 digs for her fifth career double-double. Dir came out strong with five first-set kills. She upped her production in the second set with nine kills on 13 swings in the second set. Dir added four kills, including the final kill in the final set.

Northwest stormed out to a 15-5 lead and used five blocks en route to a 25-19 win in the opening set. Washburn clawed back to within four points at 15-11, but back-to-back kills by Lauren Casey stemmed the tide and Northwest pushed the lead back to six. Northwest hit .188 in the first set with 16 kills. Washburn hit .068 with 10 kills and seven attack errors. 

The Bearcats bounced out to leads of 15-7 and 16-9 in the second set and were poised to take a 2-0 lead. However, Washburn used a 9-1 run to take an 18-17 lead and seize the momentum away from the home squad. The Ichabods extended the lead to 21-19 before Dir stepped in and took control back for the Bearcats. Dir hammered down four straight kills to turn a 21-19 deficit into a 23-21 advantage. Avery Kemp delivered an ace to give Northwest a set point at 24-21. Abby Brunssen and Gabrielle Gartner combined on a block to score the game-clinching point at 25-21. Northwest hit .306 in the second set with 16 kills and five attack errors. Washburn hit .205 with 12 kills and four errors. 

The third set featured four ties and three lead changes before Northwest got Dir rolling again. Dir's first kill of the third set gave Northwest an 11-8 lead. The Bearcats continued to feed Dir as Northwest increased the lead to 19-11. The Ichabods closed to within 20-17 to tighten up the set. Northwest was able to fend off Washburn as the Bearcats scored five of the last seven points, including a Dir kill to clinch it.

Northwest posted only its sixth 3-0 sweep of Washburn in the all-time series between the two programs.

Bearcat head coach Amy Woerth recorded her 198th career victory as she inches closer to Sarah Pelster's program-record 199 coaching wins.

Northwest returns to action Saturday at 3 p.m. against the Emporia State Hornets. The Hornets lost a 3-1 decision Friday night at Missouri Western.