Box Score

Taylor Bevis

Central Oklahoma UCO 27-7

Washburn WU 29-3

Central Oklahoma UCO

27-7

Final

Nov. 09, 2018

Washburn WU

29-3

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	F
Central Oklahoma UCO	25	18	19	13	(1)
Washburn WU	23	25	25	25	(3)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | 11/9/2018 6:06:00 PM

Bronchos Eliminated In MIAA Tourney

KEARNEY, Neb. (Nov. 9) – A bevy of mistakes proved too much for Central Oklahoma to overcome in the semifinals of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Tournament Friday night.

The No. 16-ranked Bronchos rallied for a tight 25-23 first-set win only to have No. 10-rated Washburn roar back to claim 25-18, 25-19, 25-13 victories in the next three sets to advance to Saturday's 6 p.m. finals against the Nebraska-Kearney/Central Missouri winner.

UCO committed 26 attack errors while setting season highs for service errors (eight) and blocking errors (four) in having its season ended at 27-7. The Ichabods improved to 29-3.

"We got off to a good start in pulling out a tough first-set win, but we struggled after that and obviously Washburn had something to do with that," said head coach Edgar Miraku, who has led UCO to five straight years with 25-plus wins. "It's a tough way to end the season, but I'm proud of this team. They fought hard all year and we really had a good season."

Haley Deschenes led the Bronchos with 11 kills, while Karyn Chrisman and Taylor Bevis had 10 each. Malia Kaaiohelo chipped in eight kills and three total blocks.

Central also got 24 assists and 10 digs from McKenzie Fyfe, with Dominique Lipari adding 24 digs.

Both teams appeared to have the momentum in the first set before UCO scored the final five points to pull out the win.

The Bronchos looked in control after grabbing a 20-17 lead, but a 6-0 Washburn run quickly turned the tide and put the Ichabods on the brink with a 23-20 advantage.

Central then answered with its set-ending spurt, which was started by Kaaiohelo's smash at the net. Bevis' kill down the line and an attack error tied it at 23-all, then a Kaaiohelo block put the Bronchos ahead.

Lipari had a pair of big digs during a long rally on set point before Bevis ended it with a shot down the middle. Deschenes, Chrisman and Kaaiohelo had four kills apiece in the set.

UCO jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead in the second set behind three Bevis kills, but the Ichabods came right back with five consecutive points to take a 7-6 lead.

The Bronchos never led again, though it was still a one-point deficit at 18-17 after a Deschenes kill. Washburn finished with a 7-1 run to claim the set and even the match.

Deschenes' kill had UCO on top 6-5 early in the third set and it was tied 7-7 after another cross-court shot by the sophomore outside hitter before the Ichabods went on a 5-1 run to take the lead for good.

That spurt gave WU a 12-8 lead and the closest the Bronchos came the rest of the way was 20-18 after Chrisman's kill down the line, with the Ichabods getting two blocks down the stretch in closing out the set.

UCO trailed just 8-6 in the fourth set after a Bevis kill, but the error-prone Bronchos committed seven mistakes during a 12-1 run that gave Washburn a big 20-7 edge and the Ichbods went on to close out the match.

It was the final match for four UCO seniors – Bevis, Chrisman, Fyfe and Spence.

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