TIgers pick up straight-set win over ESU

By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION

Fort Hays State Volleyball moved to 7-10 overall and 2-7 in the MIAA with a 3-0 win over Emporia State on Tuesday night (Oct. 4) at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers won by scores of 25-15, 25-22, and 25-20, leveling their season series with the Hornets. Emporia State moved to 4-14 overall and 1-8 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State used a 5-0 run early in the first set to take a 10-7 lead. The Tigers held on to that lead the remainder of the first set and used a 9-0 run to create plenty of separation with a lead of 21-11. The Tigers went on to win the set by 10. Emily Ellis led the way in the set with four kills, followed by Mykah Eshbaugh and Riley Tinder each with three. The Tigers hit .225 in the set on 14 kills and held the Hornets to a .000 hitting percentage (9 kills, 9 errors).

The second set was a back-and-forth battle that saw eight ties and six lead changes. With the score tied at 20-20, the Tigers used a 3-0 run to gain a bit of separation, then scored the final two points of the set for a 25-22 win. Ellis once again put down four kills, while Tinder, Morgan Christiansen, and Claire Olson all recorded three. Jaden Daffer produced eight digs within the set.

Fort Hays State never trailed in the third set, though the Hornets were able to even the score four times. Tied at 10-10, the Tigers went on a 6-0 run to get separation, then later had a 5-0 run to push their advantage to 10 at 22-12. The Tigers had nine match points to work with, though the Hornets were able to fight off five before Tinder put the contest away with a kill. Eshbaugh had a strong set with six kills, while Olson and Tinder each added four. The Tigers put down 18 kills as a team within the set.

Eshbaugh finished with a team-high 11 kills, while Tinder also reached double figures with 10 and added 16 digs for a double-double in the match. Ellis had nine kills and added three blocks. Christiansen and Olson also had three blocks each. Caiya Stucky and Jaida Felix split assists evenly at 19 apiece. Daffer finished with a strong 6.7 digs per set average with a total of 20.

Leah Mach led the Hornet attack with seven kills, while McKenya Sorrells was right behind with six. Ainslee Stepp had 15 assists and Shelby Ebert had 15 digs to lead the Hornets in each category.

The Tigers head on the road this weekend to Missouri Southern and Pittsburg State for more conference action. The match at MSSU starts at 6 p.m. on Friday night in Joplin. The match at PSU on Saturday also begins at 6 p.m.

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