EMPORIA, Kan. – Two scoring droughts of almost five minutes proved costly to the fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women’s basketball team who lost 73-69 to Emporia State Saturday afternoon at White Auditorium. It’s the second straight loss for the Tigers (6-2, 0-2 MIAA) who drop their first two conference games for only the second time under coach Tony Hobson.
After Jaden Hobbs hit a free throw with 5:41 to play to give the Tigers a 58-57 lead, they would go scoreless over the next 4:59 and fell behind by nine with 32 seconds to play.
Taylor Rolfs got FHSU off to a good start scoring eight of their first 10 points as they built a nine-point lead with just under two minutes to play in the first quarter. She hit a career-best six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 28 points.
Emporia State (7-2, 2-0 MIAA) closed the quarter on an 8-1 run to pull within two at the quarter break. It was part of a bigger 24-6 run that saw their lead grow to nine.
The Tigers were held scoreless for nearly five minutes and fell behind nine before a Madison Mittie 3-pointer near the end of the half closed the gap to six.
The Tigers opened the third quarter with a 13-2 run to go up 45-40. The Hornet scored the next five to tie the game and neither team led by more than three until the final run by the Hornets in the fourth quarter.
Jaden Hobbs and Kasey Kennett both scored 14 for FHSU. Belle Barbiere was held to one shot but pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
Redshirt freshman Tre’Zure Jobe led the Hornets with a career-high 25 points.