Washburn Soccer’s Big Win and Our Quick Weekend Adventure

Game Starting

Last Thursday, before heading to the Washburn basketball game that evening, we decided to take a quick trip to St. Louis to watch Washburn soccer play in the NCAA DII Elite Eight. We booked a hotel, ordered tickets for the game, and scouted out some places to eat after Saturday night’s match. It was a quickly planned trip, and we had a great time!

We left early Saturday morning to make it to St. Louis by the 1 p.m. start. We arrived with plenty of time before the game started, so we found a wonderful spot for lunch—Russell’s Café & Bakery. After finishing lunch, we headed to the soccer game with time to spare.

Ticket Punched!!!

Washburn started strong, going up 2–0, but early in the second half, the score was suddenly tied 2–2. The Ichabods battled back and won 3–2 over the University of Missouri–St. Louis. It was exciting to cheer on Washburn in their NCAA DII Elite Eight appearance—and even better to leave with the win! We were able to make the game because everything came together perfectly for this spontaneous trip.

President Mazachek and me

Up next for the Ichabods: the Final Four in Colorado Springs, CO, on Thursday. If they win, they’ll play for the National Championship on Saturday, December 13.

After the victory, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the evening, which included a speakeasy and then dinner. The speakeasy—None of the Above at City Foundry—was a new spot for us. We love speakeasies, and this one did not disappoint! After a few drinks, we took a Lyft to our dinner destination: Paul Manno’s Italian Restaurant. We had been there a few years ago and were glad to return for another great meal.

Following a long day, we made the wise decision to call it a night by 10 p.m. On the way back to Topeka, we stopped at another favorite spot in Columbia, MO—Shakespeare’s Pizza. We arrived home late afternoon and had an early night.

Drinks and Fun

It was a fun, quickly planned trip to St. Louis to follow Washburn women’s soccer. Everything worked out great! Congrats to the Ichabods on their win and advancing to the Final Four. I’ll be following Thursday’s game via stream instead of in person.

I was a day late posting this update since I went to bed early Sunday night. Until next time, have a great rest of your week!

A Week in Review: Busy Days, Sports Highlights, and Sweet Treats in Chicago

Sleepy Oliver

What a busy week it was last week! The week flew by and it seemed like it was nonstop every day into the evenings. After being away for part of the prior week, I was playing catch-up at work. Carrie shared a picture of Oliver with me while I was away, showing him sleeping on the couch with his tongue out. I felt like Oliver after such a hectic week.

This week is shaping up to be busy too. Work will be demanding as I try to complete projects, and then we have the NCAA D2 tournament starting for Washburn, followed by the Big 12 tournament. It will be a fun week!

Washburn had a disappointing first round in the MIAA tournament this past week, so I'm hoping they can get off to a good start in the NCAA D2 tournament. Washburn went 26-2 for the season but experienced their third loss in the MIAA tournament. I'm hoping the loss in the first round of the MIAA tournament will help the team focus on the NCAA D2 games.

Kansas basketball has had a down year. After starting the season at number one, we lost 11 games in the regular season. We lost three games at home and are 4-8 in away games. The games this season have been tough to watch at times, and we have blown a few leads.

Staying on the topic of sports, I have enjoyed listening to many of the Royals spring training games. With spring training happening, it means it's time for fantasy baseball drafting to begin. I have my first fantasy baseball draft this week. I only participate in three leagues, and last year I struggled in all of them. I didn't draft well or make good decisions during the season, which left me at the back of the pack in all three leagues. Still, it's a fun time and I enjoy following players on the various rosters.

Dessert at Gibbsons in Chicago

At the end of February, I went to Chicago for a conference. The conference was great, and I hope to go back next year. It was my first time attending the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) conference. I met many people from other Midwestern colleges and had good discussions. It was a smaller conference than I expected, with only about 65 people attending, but it was well worth the trip and time.

On Thursday night, the conference took everyone out to dinner at Gibbsons Steakhouse. The steak was excellent, but the thing everyone who had been in prior years talked about was the dessert. The dessert was shared with the table and it was fantastic. The picture to the left does not do it justice, as the slice was huge. We had a slice of ice cream cake and another of carrot cake. Both were really good. I want to take Carrie to Gibbons and also go back to Chicago. It was a fun trip and I ate well too.

A bit of a rambling post on this Sunday afternoon. I think that's all for today. Have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week. Hoping we can keep the warmth and avoid any more cold or snow.