By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
Despite heading to the locker room after a come-from-behind victory in the second set, the Fort Hays State volleyball team could not quite get over the hump in its home opener Friday (Sept. 21), falling to Pittsburg State 3-1. The Tigers dip to 6-10 this season and 0-4 in MIAA play, while the Gorillas are now 14-3 overall and 3-1 in league action.
The visitors quickly built a big lead in the opening set, jumping in front by six, 11-5, after a 6-1 run. PSU built the lead as high as nine before a four-point Tiger run trimmed the deficit to 19-14. Isabelle Reynolds threw down a kill before combining with Christianna Herron on a block to start the run, followed by back-to-back miscues by the Gorillas. Pittsburg State bounced back after a Tiger error returned serve to the visitors, allowing PSU to take the opening set, 25-18.
Fort Hays State got off to another slow start in the second set, quickly trailing by six prompting a timeout, 9-3. Again down by six later in the set, the Tigers began to chip away thanks to a 7-2 run. A kill from Azlyn Cassaday sparked the rally before Reynolds and Tatum Bartels combined for a blocks on two of the next three points. Reynolds then tossed down back-to-back kills, prompting a PSU timeout. A big swing from Morgan West helped the Tigers close within one out of the timeout, 18-17. The Gorillas took the next two points to again go up three, but FHSU closed the set on an 8-3 run to send the teams to the locker room knotted up at one set.
Herron opened the rally with a kill before Reynolds dropped in her first service ace of the night. A Gorilla error tied the set for the first time, 20-20. The sides traded points until the Black and Gold found themselves trailing 23-22. Kayla Vitztum tied things up again at 23 with a kill before pairing up with Bartels on a block to give the Tigers their first lead and their first set point opportunity of the match. After an attempted dig for PSU sailed over the net, Bartels blocked it back over the net to hand the Tigers a 25-23 victory.
The Tigers again fought from behind all throughout the third set, but another late rally just was not meant to be. Pittsburg State appeared to be cruising to a win after establishing an 18-10 lead. Kills from the freshman duo of Vitztum and Reynolds combined with a pair of Gorilla errors quickly trimmed that lead in half, prompting a PSU timeout. The pair added two more kills out of the break, helping FHSU close within two, 18-16. The Gorillas rebounded to reach set point shortly thereafter, 24-20. Two visitor miscues and two more kills from Vitztum tied the score at 24-24 and quickly turned up the tension inside the Coliseum, but a service error and a kill from Lauren Regier brought the rally to a screeching halt, 26-24.
Cassaday recorded a kill before dropping in a service ace to give the Tigers just their second lead of the night to open the fourth frame, but the Gorillas fought back to lead just seven points later, 5-4. The score was tied as late as 9-9, but a five-point run for the visitors put PSU in front for good. The Tigers closed within two after a solo block from Herron before the Gorillas scored eight of the final 10 points to take the match, 25-17.
Fort Hays State posted a .121 attack percentage, adding eight blocks two service aces. The Gorillas countered with a .179 swing rate, nine blocks and eight aces. Vitztum, one of six Tigers with at least six kills, led the balanced offense with 11 kills. Herron contributed eight kills and three blocks (one solo) while Bartels added six kills and five blocks (one solo). Bre Becker and Katie Darnell split the setting duties, both tossing up 20 assists. Libero Abbie Hayes led the team with 17 digs, with Cassaday adding 14 digs and eight kills offensively.
The Tigers’ short homestand wraps up Saturday (Sept. 22) when #16 Central Oklahoma makes the trip to Hays for a 4 p.m. first serve.