FHSU Sports Information Department
Fort Hays State Volleyball opens its 2015 season on Friday (Sept. 4) at the Wildcat Open, hosted by Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Mich. The Tigers open the season with Cedarville (Ohio) University and Michigan Tech.
The Tigers play a total of four matches over two days. Following the matches with Cedarville and Michigan Tech on Friday, the Tigers take on Upper Iowa and Northern Michigan on the second day of competition.
Fans can follow live stats for free, or can view the action via webstream for $12 per game or $40 for the entire tournament. Here are the links below…
Watch Live – Tournament Webstream Page
Sept. 4 – 12 pm, FHSU vs. Cedarville – Live Stats
Sept. 4 – 4 pm, FHSU vs. Michigan Tech – Live Stats
Sept. 5 – 8 am, FHSU vs. Upper Iowa –Live Stats
Sept. 5 – 4 pm, FHSU vs. Northern Michigan – Live Stats
**NOTE** The live stats links are different for each match. All Times are Central, though the team is playing in the eastern time zone.
The Tigers are coming off a 13-18 record in 2014, but they did see improvement in MIAA play. After finishing 11th in the conference in 2013, FHSU tied for eighth in 2014 by winning seven conference matches. The top eight teams will qualify for the MIAA Tournament at the end of the regular season.
Ranked teams were a thorn in the side of the Tigers last year. FHSU went 0-7 against top 25 ranked teams in 2014, but went 13-11 against the rest of their opponents. FHSU was 6-3 in non-conference play.
The Tigers have just four returners to the 2015 squad, which includes senior Mallory Flagor, juniors Rebekah Spainhour and Crystal Whitten, and sophomore Callie Christensen. Flagor led the Tigers in kills last year with 348 to earn All-MIAA Second Team honors at rightside hitter. Spainhour and Christensen were Fort Hays State’s top two middle hitters in 2014. Spainhour led the team in blocks with 90, followed closely by Christensen with 89. Spainhour had the top hitting percentage on the team in 2014 at .248. Whitten had to redshirt the 2014 season due to transfer rules. She had 596 kills in her first two years of collegiate volleyball at Pittsburg State University.
Fort Hays State has 12 newcomers to the squad this year, therefore several new faces will see significant time on the floor.