Bing Xu still had the hospital bracelet around his right wrist.
The night before, the Emporia State coach had been there when his wife, Ping Wang, delivered their second child, Jade.
Now, after one of ESU’s biggest volleyball victories in school history, he was holding a cell phone open, showing off a picture of the newborn to all who would look.
As Xu smiled, he knew Wang was crying tears of joy in the hospital room.
One call at a time, Wang — ESU’s assistant coach — was given updates on Tuesday’s volleyball score.
At the end of the night, there were two reasons to smile — and to cry.
The No. 17 Hornets ended No. 4 Washburn’s 27-match winning streak, taking a 30-28, 34-32, 34-32 sweep in front of a school-record 1,024 people at White Auditorium.
“It’s just amazing. It’s indescribable,” ESU junior Hannah Carter said. “It’s the best feeling ever just to beat them.”
The Hornets won in impressive style over their biggest rivals, coming from behind in all three games and also facing six-point deficits in Games Two and Three.
ESU, which had lost to Washburn in five games on Sept. 26, showed the toughness it needed down the stretch.
Arica Shepard had the game-winner in Game One for ESU, putting down a kill with lots of help from Ting Liu.
The ESU freshman used all of her 6-foot-1 frame to rescue an errant pass, going over the net to retrieve the ball and put up a good set.
It was only the third time this season Washburn has lost the first game of a match.
ESU’s biggest momentum swing came in Game Two, as the team fell behind 13-7 before playing some of its best volleyball of the season.
Led by Hannah Carter’s two blocks and two kills, the Hornets went on an 11-1 run to regain a 19-14 advantage.
“That’s a good team,” Washburn coach Chris Herron said. “There’s a lot of teams that beat them early that I’m sure don’t want to play them now.”
ESU still needed guts to win it late.
The Hornets led 29-27 but couldn’t get the final point needed. Washburn also had its chances to win the game, leading 31-30 and 32-31.
Liu followed with a kill and an assisted block, and Shepard put away a hard smash to give ESU a 34-32 win that brought the ESU crowd to its feet.
“It was just so loud. That helps,” Shepard said. “You get a big crowd here, you just want to put on a show.”
Shepard put on her own show at the end of Game Three.
Frustrated by her three service errors — and also by WU libero Erica Cowhick’s frequent digs — Shepard started to get angry.
Soon after, her spikes started to get nastier.
“Near the end, I was just like, ‘All right, I’m just going to knock her over if she’s going to dig it,’” Shepard said. “I was just trying to hit it as hard as I could. I don’t like being dug.”
Shepard wasn’t dug much in the late stages.
After ESU fell behind 11-5, the sophomore put down three of the next four ESU points to start the team on a rally that tied it back up at 14.
The end provided more drama.
ESU (24-6, 10-2 MIAA) had chances to win it at 29-28 and 30-29 before two consecutive points by Washburn.
After a pair of Lady Blues errors, Shepard served for the match at 32-31.
With the fans on their feet, Shepard hit the net on her serve.
“I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. Not now,’” Shepard said.
It wouldn’t matter. Mary Walczuk followed with a kill, and Brianne Boner slammed the last spike to the hardwood for ESU’s match-clinching 34-32 victory.
“It’s just an adrenaline rush,” Shepard said. “I can’t stop smiling. I feel like I could play another game right now.”
Shepard led ESU with 21 kills, while Megan Koster added 18 on .417 hitting.
“Shepard was good and Koster was good,” Herron said. “We got production out of two kids — one defensively and one offensively. If you only are playing two on six, you usually don’t win.”
Amy Byfield contributed 24 digs.
Washburn, which had just received its highest ranking ever this week at No. 4, picked up just its second loss of the season.
“(The girls) really did it,” Xu said. “I’m really happy about this group.”
It all gave the coach another reason to smile.
And also gave his wife another reason to cry.
Tuesday at White Auditorium
No. 4 Washburn 28 32 32
No. 17 Emporia State 30 34 34
Att — 1,024. Time — 1:42.
Records — Washburn (32-2, 12-1 MIAA); Emporia State (24-6, 10-2 MIAA).