FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team secured its first conference win of the season Friday (Sept. 25), winning a five-set thriller over Pittsburg State with set scores of 24-26, 26-24, 25-17, 21-25, and 15-12. The Tigers (11-5, 1-2 MIAA) finished with 85 kills, second-most for the team during the rally-scoring era (since 2001) and their most in a match since 2003 (91 vs. Rockhurst, 10/15/03), while Pittsburg State (11-3, 0-2 MIAA) notched 19 blocks and nine service aces.
After Pittsburg State's first point, Fort Hays State answered with an 8-0 run, beginning with a Carsyn Cormaney kill before Annie Eaton served seven straight points that included kills by Ella Goodwin and Mylie Brown and two aces. Pittsburg State clawed back to take an 18-17 lead, but the Tigers responded with kills from Goodwin, Peyton Bergschneider and Eaton to go back ahead 22-21. Ashlyn Reeves tied the set at 24 with a kill before Pittsburg State scored the final two points to take the set 26-24.
In the second set, Fort Hays State erased an 18-15 deficit, getting kills from Cormaney, Goodwin and Bergschneider before an Eaton-Reeves block put FHSU ahead 20-19. Pittsburg State later reached 24-23, but the Tigers answered with consecutive kills from Brown, Goodwin and Bergschneider to finish the set 26-24.
In the third set, Fort Hays State created separation by winning seven of eight rallies from 10-8 to 17-9, including four straight service points with Hope Duncan behind the line. Cormaney and Bergschneider factored into that stretch with kills, and Bergschneider also teamed with Cormaney on a block. After Pittsburg State cut the score to 17-13, FHSU finished the set at 25-17 on a Brown kill from Eaton.
Pittsburg State never trailed in the fourth, scoring the first four points to take control. Fort Hays State's main push came after the Gorillas led 12-5, as the home side pulled within 20-18 behind kills from Brown and Cormaney and a block by Goodwin and Cormaney. Goodwin added late kills to keep the Tigers in the set, but Pittsburg State finished it on Maddi LaPointe's kill for a 25-21 result.
The final set was a back-and-forth affair including 10 ties and six lead changes. PSU scored two in a row to level the score at 12 before Fort Hays State scored the final three points to secure the win. A Bergschneider kill, a Reeves block and a Goodwin kill helped the Tigers complete the victory.
Goodwin led Fort Hays State with 22 kills, fourth-most by an MIAA athlete this season, on a .425 hitting percentage. Eaton recorded 70 assists, the most in the conference this year and second-most by a Tiger during the rally-scoring era (Jayme Eichner, 74 vs. Rockhurst, 10/15/03). The setter also added 16 digs, six kills and two service aces. Bergschneider chipped in 19 kills, four digs and two block assists, while Reeves finished with 14 kills and four total blocks. Haylee Wolf led the Tigers with 17 digs.
Up next, FHSU hosts No. 17 Emporia State on Saturday (Sept. 26) at 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.