FHSU Athletics
HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team dropped a three-set match Saturday evening against Central Missouri, 16-25, 18-25, 17-25. Extended Jennie (16-8, 11-4 MIAA) runs helped the visitors pull away in each set.
The Tigers (10-14, 5-11 MIAA) led by two early in the first set after an ace from Mykah Eshbaugh and later tied the score at 11 on a Morgan Christiansen kill before UCM took the lead for good. FHSU stayed within three before the Jennies rattled off seven in a row to turn an 18-16 lead into a 25-16 first-set victory.
Fort Hays State took control early in the second set, leading by as many as five. Gracie Rains dropped in three kills early in the frame, with Christiansen adding two kills and one block to help the Tigers jump in front 10-5. But Central Missouri rebounded with a commanding 12-1 run, going in front 17-11 before finishing off the 25-18 win.
The Tigers racked up four of their nine team blocks in the third set, including three-consecutive block assists from Caiya Stucky and Emily Ellis, but the UCM offense battled through it to take the set 25-17.
Rains and Christiansen both tallied eight kills to lead the way for FHSU, with Ellis and Eshbaugh adding five each and Claire Olson chipping in four. Ellis and Olson each had five block assists alongside four from Christiansen and three from Stucky. Jaida Felix distributed 14 assists and Riley Tinder led the team with 16 digs while serving as the libero. Eshbaugh recorded a career-high two service aces for the second time this season.
Fort Hays State now sits in a tie for eighth in the MIAA standings with four games remaining, one-half game behind Missouri Southern at 5-10. The top eight teams at the end of the regular season will advance to the MIAA Championship Tournament in St. Joseph, Mo. November 10-12.
The Tigers will wrap up their three-match homestand on Tuesday (Oct. 25) when they host No. 6 Nebraska-Kearney beginning at 6 p.m.