Boxscore -- Washburn 3, UNO 2

TOPEKA, Kan. – The UNO volleyball team battled against No. 9 Washburn on Tuesday, but surrendered a 3-2 loss to the Lady Blues, 17-25, 25-23, 25-22, 23-25, 7-15, at Lee Arena. With the loss, the Mavericks drop to 8-4 (1-3 MIAA), while WU improves to 11-1 (3-1 MIAA) on the year.

Sophomore outside hitter #Natalie Ebke tied her career high of 17 kills and was joined in double figures by senior outside hitter Kayla Uhing# (12). The duo both achieved a double-double as Ebke added 15 digs, and Uhing had 13. It marked Uhing's fifth consecutive double-double while Ebke earned her fourth of the year.
 
Junior libero #Angie Reicks# added 20 digs of her own, and junior setter #Emily Myers finished with 41 assists. Junior middle hitter Brittany Hanssen# led the way at the net, returning to the court for the first time in a week to tally five blocks for UNO.

Four Washburn players finished in double-figure kills – Hillary Hughes (13), Jessica Kopp (12), Mollie Lacy (11) and Breanna Lewis (10).

After the Lady Blues took the first set 25-17, UNO rallied for a 25-23 win in the second game. Ebke led the offensive attack with six kills, and freshman Megan Hutson chipped in three of her own. The Mavs took the lead at 24-23 with a kill and a block from Uhing, and a service ace from Hanssen clinched the victory.

WU came back for a 25-22 win in the third set, then ran out to a 5-1 lead in the fourth game.  Nebraska-Omaha evened the score at 7-7 on a Hutson kill. A 9-5 run put the Mavs up 16-12, but the Lady Blues fought back and tied it four times. Standing at 23-all, back-to-back kills from Ebke sealed the win at 25-23. Washburn then took the deciding fifth set, 15-7, to grab the match victory, 3-2.

UNO returns to action on Friday, Sept. 24, hosting Fort Hays State at Sapp Fieldhouse at 7 p.m.