By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
The Fort Hays State volleyball team grabbed the opening set against Missouri Western Saturday (Nov. 3) on Senior Day, but the Griffons rallied to take the regular season finale, 3-1. The Tigers wrap up the regular season 8-22 overall and 2-16 in MIAA play, while the Griffons move to 15-16 and 7-11 in league competition.
The Tigers were firing on all cylinders in the opening set, hitting .270 while making just four errors and holding the Griffons to a .098 attack percentage. The teams alternated points early, with neither side leading by more than two. With the score tied at 10, Fort Hays State took the lead for good thanks to a 6-1 run. Four consecutive MWSU errors gave the Tigers an advantage before Kayla Vitztum dropped in a pair of kills, putting FHSU in front 16-11. The visitors closed within 22-19 after a run of their own, but two more kills from Vitztum and a final kill from Ashley Webb handed the Tigers a 25-20 win.
Fort Hays State continued the momentum into the second set, using a nine-point run to go in front by as many as 11-4. Isabelle Reynolds contributed two kills and a solo block during the run before a service ace from Bre Becker put the Tigers in front by six and forced a Griffon timeout. MWSU then rallied to take a 16-13 lead with a 12-2 run. Two Tatum Bartels kills and a Griffon error tied things up at 16 before the teams traded points over the next several minutes. Again tied at 20, Missouri Western scored five of the final six points to level the match as the teams left for the locker room, 25-21.
Missouri Western used big runs to take control in the third and fourth sets, securing the match after wins of 25-15 and 25-19.
The Tigers finished the match with a .120 attack percentage compared to a .196 swing rate for the visitors. Both sides totaled seven blocks, including five from Bartels.
Azlyn Cassaday wrapped up her Tiger career with her third double-double, totaling 12 kills and 13 digs. The rest of the senior class contributed all afternoon, with Madison Elwood recording seven kills, three digs and two blocks, Ashley Webb totaling five kills and one block, Abby Groth contributing four digs and two assists and Becca Page tossing up a team-best 15 assists to go with seven digs.