By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Fort Hays State volleyball team fell in three sets against fourth-ranked Northwest Missouri State Tuesday evening (Nov. 16) in the MIAA Quarterfinals. The Tigers wrap up the season 13-17 overall, while the Bearcats are on to the conference semifinals at 25-4.
Northwest Missouri State jumped out to early leads in the first and second sets, never trailing in either frame. The Tigers trailed by as many as six early in the opening frame, but closed within one behind a 7-2 run. The Bearcats bounced back and started to pull away again, but the Tigers rallied once more to close within two before Northwest finished things off with a 25-22 win. The Bearcats never allowed Fort Hays State to get back into it in the second set, taking a commanding lead and riding it to a 25-17 win.
The Tigers kept fighting into the third set, leading on multiple occasions and as late as 15-14. Fort Hays State led by as many as three in the frame before Northwest came back late to finish off the sweep, 25-20.
Isabelle Reynolds finished the night with seven kills and 15 digs. Emily Ellis, Mykah Eshbaugh and Riley Tinder all added five kills. Tinder also contributed three blocks and 10 digs, while Eshbaugh and Ellis each had two blocks. Morgan Christiansen led the team with four blocks, while Jaden Daffer finished with a team-high 22 digs.