BY TRISTAN SASSE
Entering Friday, the Fort Hays State University volleyball team was looking to redeem themselves after being on the losing end in four-straight MIAA matchups. The Lady Tigers entered the weekend at 9-14 on the season and 1-8 in conference play.
Friday night, FHSU was in Joplin, Missouri to take on the Missouri Southern Lions. The Lions began Friday at 9-13 overall and 2-7 in the MIAA. After four sets, FHSU would go on to drop their fifth straight conference game by scores of 18-25, 25-23, 16-25, and 24-26.
The Lions ended the night with more kills (60-37), digs (65-55), and blocks (12-6).
Bailey Rexford had 15 kills for Missouri Southern, while Alicia Pickett and Mikayla Monk had 12 each. 60 total kills on the night was due in large part to 49 assists by Morgan Nash. Janelle Brehm and Teryn Scott both had 15 digs for the Lions.
For Fort Hays, Magan Alexander and Callie Christensen led the Tigers with 10 kills each. Amirah Bentley had 33 assists for FHSU. Additionally, Azlyn Cassaday and Taylor White had 12 digs each, and Bentley followed with 11. Christensen also led the Tigers with five blocks.
On Saturday, the Tigers traveled to Bolivar, Missouri in hopes of winning their first game since September 30. FHSU would face the 2-22 Southwest Baptist Bearcats. The Bearcats entered Saturday on a 10-game losing streak. The Lady Tigers swept the Bearcats in dominant fashion, winning 25-13, 25-18, and 25-16 and improving to 10-15 on the season.
For the Lady Tigers, Kylie Rollman led all players with 12 kills, followed by Alexander with nine and Christensen with eight. Bentley once again led the Tigers in assists, this time with 34. Defensively, White had 13 digs, while Bentley, Kailey Klibbe, and Abbie Hayes had 10 each. FHSU also had six service aces.
Leading the Bearcats was Katie Robinson with 11 kills, Brea Freeman with 14 assists, and Bailey Baumann with 14 digs. SBU also had 18 attacking errors on the afternoon, compared to just 11 by the Lady Tigers. Both teams had 111 attacking attempts.
The Lady Tigers will look for their first winning streak since September 16 on Tuesday, October 24, when FHSU travels to Kearney, Nebraska to play No. 7 UNK. Southwest Baptist will finish a three game homestand on Tuesday against the Missouri Southern Lions.