Story by RAEGAN NEUFELD Photos by RORY MOORE Video by PARKER NISBETH
Tiger Media Network
Fort Hays women’s basketball is now 2-0 in the MIAA conference, winning its first two league games by a margin of 30 points.
The No. 7 Tigers (9-0, 2-0) had no problem with the Washburn Ichabods (4-6, 0-2) on Saturday afternoon, winning 83-53. FHSU quickly built a 9-0 lead and never looked back. They used a 17-0 run to end the first and led 48-12 at the break. The Ichabods had a better second half, shooting 47% in both the third and fourth quarters, but the Tigers didn’t let up. They finished the game shooting 61.5% and 50% in the last two periods.
“Our conversation at halftime today was that a good half can be really ruined by a bad half,” FHSU Head Coach Talia Kahrs said. “I thought we still continued to maintain our intensity as much as we could with the people that we were playing, and they continued to work hard on defense and got good and unselfish shots on offense.”
Guard Katie DeGarmo was the Tigers’ lead scorer in the game with 14 points from six field goals, a three-point field goal, and one free throw in 24 minutes played. 
Guard Kate Dilsaver tries to recover a blocked shot after attempting a layup. 
Dilsaver attempts a 3-pointer. 
Dilsaver scored 12 points in 22 minutes played, with four field goals, one three-point field goal, and three free throws. 
Hollenbeck attempts a layup while facing a charging Ichabod. 
Forward Olivia Hollenbeck goes for a basket amid strong Ichabod defense. 
Guard Talexa Weeter squeezes past two Washburn University Ichabods. 
Callie Ott shoots a free throw attempt. 
Lowe leaps past a Washburn defender for two points. 
Forward Avery Lowe hustles into Washburn territory.
Both teams put on a full-court press, but the Tigers ultimately reaped the rewards of the game’s fast pace. They forced 22 turnovers, stole the ball 13 times and scored 21 points as a result. They also scored 18 points on fast breaks.
“We like to guard hard, too,” graduate student Katie DeGarmo said. “I think as the game goes on, it’s really important to continue to pressure them so then we can handle it when we’re playing at such a high-paced speed. With that comes turnovers too, but I think if we can take care of the ball well and play at that pace, then we’re doing really well.”
DeGarmo led FHSU in scoring with 14 points, adding six rebounds. Four of her teammates also scored in double figures. Senior Kate Dilsaver finished with 12 points and six assists, while graduate student Olivia Hollenbeck and junior Brooke Loewe each scored 11 points. Hollenbeck also recorded six rebounds and four steals. Rounding out the Tigers’ well-balanced offensive attack was sophomore Talexa Weeter with 10 points.
As a team, the Tigers shot 50.8% from the field while holding Washburn to just 32.8%. They also outrebounded the Ichabods 40-33.
“You never know who’s going to give you a really good battle and who might be a little bit worse,” Dilsaver said. “It’s just game by game. It’s just approaching every conference game with equal importance because it really is when it comes down to trying to win a regular season championship. Every game counts the same in our conference.”
While the Tigers had just one loss through nine games last season compared to no losses this season, Kahrs said she now has more confidence in her second year as head coach.
“I feel like I’ve really gained some confidence in what I’m capable of doing, my communication skills with the girls and my intensity,” she said. “Not really questioning my decisions as much and just being confident in those decisions.”
FHSU now has a break before December 19, when they travel to Hawaii for the Big Island Holiday Classic, where FHSU will look to continue their undefeated season. According to DeGarmo, it’s a “healthy pressure,” and they focus on one game at a time.
“We talked about it this morning that you can’t win a championship right now, but you can lose one,” she said. “So just taking every day as an important game, because it is. Nothing’s more important than today, as we like to say.”
The Tigers will face Truman State and Quincy while in Hawaii.
“We’ve got to focus on our games, we want to win those games for sure,” Dilsaver said. “But we’ll have some extra downtime that we don’t usually have. So it’ll be great to get to spend it with the team. Especially before the holidays, it’ll be great to spend it with people who I really enjoy and then get to go home to family after.”