Lady Blues win NCAA opener with 3-1 win over Harding

For immediate release - Nov. 17, 2005

Box Score
FLORENCE, Ala. - The No. 8 Washburn volleyball team topped Harding
30-19, 28-30, 30-23, 32-30 in the quarterfinals of South Central
Region volleyball tournament at Flowers Hall Thursday.

Washburn will advace to the regional semifinals 5 p.m. Friday and
face the winner of the Truman State/Harding match.

Washburn cruised in the opening game after taking a 16-5 lead after
three straight blocks by Anna Byers. Washburn finished with a .387
hitting percentage in game one after starting right side Tessa
Jones suffered a severe sprain on her left ankle late in the game.

Washburn dug itself a huge hole in game three, falling behind 12-4
on a block by HU's Katie Westmoreland. WU rallied to tie the game
at 25 on Monica Miesner's kill and took its first lead of the game
at 26 -25 on a block by Byers and Bailey Saal. Harding closed the
game with a 5-2 run capped by two kills by Synda Veitenheimer.

The Lady Blues fell behind early by as many as three points but
rallied to take the lead for good at 17-16 in game three on two
straight kills by Mandi Cox. Cox added two more kills in a 9-2 run
to give Washburn a 25-18 lead. The Lady Blues finished the game
with a .432 hitting percentage.

WU played catch up again in game four by falling behind 23-18. Bobi
Riley stepped in with two key blocks and gave Washburn a 28-27 lead
with her fourth kill of the match. HU took a 30-29 lead moments
later before WU reeled off three straight points and Cox sealed the
victory with a kill.

Miesner and Cox led the Lady Blues with 17 kills apiece, while
Byers had a career-high 15 kills and team-high 10 blocks. Erica
Cowhick had 29 digs.

Washburn improved to 35-2, while Harding finished the season 33-5.