By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After fighting toe-to-toe with Missouri Western in the first half, the third-ranked Fort Hays State women’s basketball team pulled away after the break to win Thursday’s MIAA Women’s Basketball Championship quarterfinal matchup, 71-58 (March 7). The Tigers (28-1) now advance to the conference semifinals at 6 p.m. Saturday (March 9) to take on either Washburn or Emporia State inside historic Municipal Auditorium.
Taylor Rolfs provided a spark in the second half, scoring all 16 of her points in the final 20 minutes. After the Griffons closed within one point three minutes into the second half, the junior scored 10 straight points over the next three-plus minutes to pad the lead to double figures, 46-35.
Missouri Western battled back within four by the midway point of the fourth quarter, but another 10-point run helped the Tigers pull away for good. Rolfs was again responsible for the bulk of the scoring, scoring three points the old fashioned way before knocking down her third triple of the game one minute later. Belle Barbieri added a pair of layups during the stretch, with the second basket putting the Tigers up by 14 with 2:49 to play, 62-48.
Lanie Page drilled her third three-pointer in the fourth quarter before adding two free throws late to put the game on ice.
The Tigers appeared poised to break things open early after taking a six point lead by the midway point of the first quarter, 12-6. Page scored eight of those points, hitting her first three field goals over an 87-second stretch. But the Griffons would not go away easily, closing the quarter on a 12-5 run to take a lead into the second frame, 18-17.
Fort Hays State regained the lead early in the second stanza on a Barbieri layup, later leading by as many as six before MWSU went on an 8-1 run to go back in front, 29-28. Page scored the final four points of the half on a three-pointer and a free throw to put the Tigers up by three at the break, 32-29.
The Tigers shot 47.2 percent for the game, including a 51.9 percent effort in the second half. FHSU dominated on the boards, outrebounding the Griffons 39-22. With 13 turnovers compared to just nine from MWSU, the Tigers turned the ball over more than its opponent for just the third time this season, and the second time against the Griffons.
Page led the team with 19 points while adding four blocks on the defensive end. Barbieri finished the game with 13 points and nine rebounds while Tatyana Legette put up eight points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
The top-seeded Tigers advance to the MIAA semifinals for the sixth time, where they will await the winner of Friday’s matchup between No. 4 Washburn and No. 5 Emporia State.