By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
CHADRON, Neb. – The Fort Hays State volleyball squad dropped a pair of matches to open the 2019 season Friday (Sept. 6), falling to Sioux Falls and Chadron State in straight sets.
The Tigers have a chance to pick up two wins Saturday and escape the weekend with a .500 record when they continue play in the 2019 Eagle Classic. First up is a 12:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m. MT) match with Montana State Billings before FHSU wraps up the weekend with South Dakota School of Mines at 5:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. MT).
Sioux Falls 3, Fort Hays State 0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-16)
Fort Hays State opened the year against the Cougars of Sioux Falls, who came into the season receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll. The Tigers struggled to find a rhythm, posting a .125 attack percentage for the match while the Cougars countered with a .255 swing rate.
Morgan West led the team with eight kills and just one attack error on 16 swings, good for a .438 attack percentage. Katie Darnell tossed up 23 assists while Morgan Christiansen led the team with four blocks. Isabelle Reynolds dropped in the lone service ace for the Tigers.
The best offensive frame came in the second set for the Tigers, when they totaled nine kills and just three errors on 34 swings. Kasandra Springer paced the Cougars with 12 kills and three service aces.
Chadron State 3, Fort Hays State 0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-23)
The Tigers kept things close with host Chadron State in the night cap, but in all three sets the Eagles put together a run to secure the victory.
Fort Hays State recorded a .152 attack percentage in the loss, while giving up a .276 swing rate to the Eagles. Mogan West once again led the Tigers with nine kills, while Delaney Humm and Kayla Vitztum added seven kills each. Katie Darnell contributed 23 assists while Haley McCorkle provided a change of pace off the bench in the third set, adding four assists.
After dropping the first two sets, the Tigers seemed poised to extend the match after scoring the first four points of the third set. FHSU led by as many as 9-4 before the Eagles started to rally. Emily Ellis did her best to hold off the Eagle run, coming off the bench to record a big kill and a service ace on back-to-back rallies. After tying the score at 13-13, CSC took the lead for good at 17-16.