FHSU Athletics
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team came up two points shy of another heroic victory Friday, with the eighth-seeded Tigers falling to fifth-seeded and 24th-ranked Central Oklahoma in the MIAA Championship semifinals in five sets, 25-13, 23-25, 25-20, 23-25 and 18-20. The Tigers (19-13) recorded a better hitting percentage, .203-.169, more kills (72-69), more assists (66-61) and more digs (125-118), but the Bronchos (23-7) did just enough to move on to Saturday's championship match.
FHSU's 125 digs are the most by the team since 2004 (126 vs. Drury, 8/27/04), are tied for the most by a conference team this season and are eighth-most by a Division II program this year.
The Tigers built momentum with several long scoring runs, including stretches of seven of eight points in each of the first two sets, six straight points in both the third and fourth sets, and five of six points in the fifth. Fort Hays State overcame a two-point deficit to take a 14-12 lead in the fifth set, but Central Oklahoma battled back to win the set 20-18..
FHSU created separation in the first set by winning seven of eight rallies, turning an 8-6 lead into a 15-7 advantage. Annie Eaton assisted kills by Ashlyn Reeves and Peyton Bergschneider during that stretch, while Eaton and Reeves also teamed on two blocks in the set. The Tigers cruised to victory from there, closing the set at 25-13 on a Mylie Brown kill from Eaton.
After FHSU led wire-to-wire in the first, the Bronchos were the ones who opened the second set on top. UCO methodically established a 15-8 lead, but the Tigers were able to cut into the deficit by winning seven of eight rallies. FHSU moved within 16-15 behind a Bergschneider ace, kills from Carsyn Cormaney and Ella Goodwin, and multiple Broncho errors. The Tigers later tied the set at 18-18 on Bergschneider's kill and went ahead 19-18 on a block by Eaton and Reeves. Central Oklahoma scored the next four in response before taking the set 25-23.
The third set was a battle the entire way, including 12 ties and eight lead changes. After Central Oklahoma moved ahead 18-17, the Tigers answered with six straight points to take control at 23-18. Jaden Goldberg served the final five points of that stretch, which included two Reeves kills, two Reeves blocks and a Goodwin kill. The Tigers finished the set 25-20 on a Brown kill from Eaton.
The Tigers started the fourth set with six straight points on Eaton's serve, getting kills from Goodwin, Cormaney and Bergschneider plus an Eaton ace to go up 6-0. Central Oklahoma later moved in front and built a 21-16 lead, but the Tigers answered with kills from Reeves and Bergschneider to get within 22-20. The Tigers fought off three set points with two Bergschneider kills around a Central Oklahoma attack error before the Bronchos closed out the set 25-23.
The fifth set was as tight as they come, including 11 ties and five more lead changes. The Tigers led by three early, 5-2, before falling behind 11-9 on a 7-3 Broncho rally. The Tigers answered the deficit by winning five of the next six points, with Brown and Reeves delivering back-to-back kills to reach match point.
UCO punched back with the next three points to reach their own match point, but Bergschneider had the answer to tie things at 16. The senior soon tied the score again at 17 before Goodwin put the Tigers back in front at 18-17, but UCO scored the final three points to take the fifth set 20-18.
A night after totaling 24 kills Bergschneider finished with 20 kills compared to just two errors on 53 swings to post an attack percentage of .340. The senior added a career-high 25 digs for her fourth double-double of the season and the sixth of her career while dropping in two service aces.
Reeves accumulated 18 kills and six total blocks (two solo), while Goodwin tallied 15 kills and six digs. Eaton recorded 56 assists, 25 digs and five block assists, with Cormaney posting 10 kills and a swing rate of .409. Haylee Wolf added 24 digs, while Duncan and Gish had 17 digs each.
The Tigers wrap up the season with 19 wins, their highest win total since 2016, while FHSU's victory in the quarterfinal was their first postseason win since 2004 and was the first time an eight seed had won a match in MIAA tournament history.