FHSU Athletics
BOLIVAR, Mo. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team picked up its seventh-consecutive win in a five-set thriller over Southwest Baptist Saturday afternoon on day two of the SBU Invitational. The Tigers are now 8-1 as they conclude non-conference play, while the Bearcats dip to 6-5 on the season.
The home team was in complete control in set one, scoring the first six points before taking the frame 25-9. After totaling just four kills and nine errors in the first set, the Tigers got things going in the second frame, posting a swing rate of .282 thanks to 14 kills and just three errors.
Fort Hays State never trailed in the second set, scoring nine-straight points to quickly go up 10-1. The Tigers later led by as many as 10 before holding on late to even the match with a 25-21 victory.
Southwest Baptist led for much of the third set, including a six-point advantage as late as 20-14. The Tigers scored the next three points to close within three, but SBU bounced back to reach set point at 24-20. A kill from Taytum Lovesee then kicked off a five-point spurt for the Tigers, helping FHSU take its first lead of the frame. The teams then traded points until Abrey Galt and Tallon Rentschler dropped in back-to-back kills, giving the Tigers a come-from-behind 29-27 win.
The teams battled back-and-forth early in the third set with neither team leading by more than three until a 6-1 SBU run put the Bearcats up 18-12. Fort Hays State roared back, scoring the next seven points to momentarily regain the lead. The lead changed hands three more times down the stretch, with SBU extending the match by scoring four of the final five points in the stanza.
Fort Hays State took the lead for good in the fifth set with a 7-2 run, turning a 3-2 deficit into a 9-5 lead. Gracie Rains contributed three kills during the run, with Galt adding one and Caiya Stucky dropping in a service ace. SBU closed within one before the Tigers slammed the door, closing the match on a 6-2 run to win, 15-10. A kill from Claire Olson allowed FHSU to reach set point before Olson teamed up with Ashlyn Reeves for a game-winning block.
Rains paced the Tigers with 15 kills while adding seven digs and two blocks. Lovesee and Reeves each had five blocks, while Stucky dished out a team-high 33 assists. Both Kirsten Evans (26 digs) and Stucky (20 digs) racked up at least 20 digs, while Galt contributed eight kills, 10 assists, six digs and two blocks. Olson totaled seven kills and did not commit an error, posting a swing rate of .368.
The Tigers posted an attack percentage of .158 as a team (56-26-190) and recorded 11 total blocks, four service aces and 92 digs.
UP NEXT
Fort Hays State will open conference play next weekend with matches at Missouri Southern on Friday (Sept. 27, 6 p.m.) and at No. 23 Central Missouri on Saturday (Sept. 28, 6 p.m.)