By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
EDMOND, Okla. – The 14th-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos gave the Fort Hays State volleyball team all it could handle Saturday afternoon (Oct. 27), knocking off the Tigers in three sets (25-16, 25-18, 25-21). The Tigers are now 8-20 overall and 2-14 in the MIAA with two games remaining in the regular season, while the Bronchos move to 25-5 on the year and 13-3 in league action.
The Bronchos rolled to a 25-16 win in the opening set and jumped in front big to start the second set, 17-8. The Tigers wouldn’t go down without a fight, capturing the next five points to close within four. A pair of UCO errors helped the cause, filling the run alongside kills from Taylor White and Azlyn Cassaday and a block from Cassaday and Tatum Bartels. The Bronchos took back control after the run, holding FHSU without consecutive points the rest of the way to head to the locker room up 2-0 after a 25-18 win.
The teams swapped points for much of the third set, leading to 12 ties and eight lead changes. Fort Hays State led as late as 19-18 after back-to-back kills from Kayla Vitztum and Isabelle Reynolds, but Central Oklahoma finished things off after a 7-2 run gave the Bronchos the 25-21 win.
Vitztum led the Tigers with a season-high 13 kills while adding one block assist. Bartels compiled a team-best three blocks to go along with five kills and three digs. Bre Becker totaled 11 assists and 12 digs while Becca Page tossed up a season-high 10 assists. Abbie Hayes led the team with 17 digs.
Fort Hays State totaled a .116 hitting percentage while allowing the Bronchos a .242 swing rate. The Tigers held an edge in digs, 62-60, and in blocks, 5-4.
The Tigers will wrap up the regular season next weekend at home against Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western.