FHSU Sports Information Department
EMPORIA, Kan. – The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team was unable to capitalize after forcing 12th-ranked Emporia State into 20 turnovers Wednesday evening (Feb. 1), falling to the Lady Hornets 59-48. The Tigers fall to 15-6 overall and 6-6 in the MIAA, while Emporia State improves to 18-3 this season and 9-3 in league play.
It was the first time the Tigers were held under 50 points since the 2015 MIAA Tournament championship game, also against Emporia State (46-49, 3/8/15). Fort Hays State has now lost four of its last five games, the first such stretch since 2013 (1/3-19/13).
The Tigers were limited to just 28.3 percent shooting on the day (17-of-60), their lowest outing this season. The Lady Hornets countered by hitting 44 percent of their shots (22-of-50), attempting their second-fewest field goals this season.
Emma Stroyan opened the contest with her first three-pointer of the season, giving the Tigers their largest lead of the game. The junior’s bucket was one of the few highlights for either side in the first quarter, with the teams combining to finish 6-for-27 from the field (22.2 percent) over the opening 10 minutes. Both sides hit three buckets, but the Lady Hornets led 10-8 at the end of the frame via four free throws.
Jill Faxon opened the second quarter with a three-pointer after a Sarah Pimentel offensive rebound, returning the lead to the Tigers, 11-10. The advantage wouldn’t last long, with ESU going back in front less than one minute later on a layup in traffic. The Addie Lackey layup opened a 12-point Lady Hornet run over the next two-plus minutes, and all of a sudden the Tigers trailed by double figures, 22-11. Faxon stopped the bleeding with a jumper before Taylor Rolfs knocked down her first three-pointer in seven games to close within six. Carly Heim narrowed the deficit to four, 24-20, with a driving layup with less than two minutes to play. The Lady Hornets went into the locker room with a 27-20 lead after Shelby Baker beat the buzzer with a layup.
The in-state rivals traded blows in the third quarter, both scoring 11 points to keep the margin at seven going into the final period. The Lady Hornets scored seven-straight points in the heart of the quarter to extend the lead to 14 points, their largest margin of the game. But the Tigers wouldn’t go away quietly, scoring nine of the final 11 points in the frame to claw within seven, 38-31. Nikola Kacperska knocked down a three-pointer before Faxon scored five points in the final minute of the period, drilling a triple from the left wing on the final FHSU possession.
Faxon continued her impressive day early in the fourth quarter, making a steal before somehow dropping in a spinning, off-balance layup with two defenders draped on her back. The miracle bucket put trimmed the lead to four, 38-34, the closest the Tigers had been since early in the second quarter. A pull-up jumper from Rolfs once again put the Tigers within four with 6:41 to play, but the Lady Hornets responded with five-straight to lead by nine. ESU held on by hitting 3-of-3 shots and 2-of-2 field goals in the final two minutes, scoring eight consecutive points to stretch the lead to 14. Kacperska knocked down a three-pointer from the right wing on the final shot of the game, trimming the final margin to 59-48.
Faxon led all scorers with 19 points, her fourth game with 19 or more points this season. Kacperska was next with eight points, knocking down a pair of three-pointers. Stroyan grabbed six rebounds to go along with seven points and two blocks. Three Lady Hornets reached double figures, led by Kelly Moten’s 13 points. Kathryn Flott led the game with 15 rebounds.
The Tigers will look to bounce back Saturday (Feb. 4) in front of a national audience against Washburn. First tip from Lee Arena in Topeka, Kan. is set for 5 p.m. and will be aired live on espn3.com as a part of the NCAA Division II Basketball Showcase. For Stretch subscribers, the game will also be available as usual on the Stretch portal.