FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State volleyball team cruised to a straight-set victory over Southwest Baptist Saturday evening (Oct. 29) inside Gross Memorial Coliseum, improving to 21-7 overall and 7-6 in MIAA play. The Bearcats fell to 3-24 on the season and 0-13 in conference play after dropping their 18th-straight match.
The Tigers remain in a tie for fifth in the MIAA standings after the victory, level with No. 15 Central Missouri. The Griffons of Missouri Western fell to Washburn, moving a game back of FHSU and UCM.
Fort Hays State established its dominance early in Saturday’s match, never trailing by more than one point. The Tigers used an efficient hitting effort of .412 to cruise to victory in the opening set, 25-14. The Black and Gold made just two errors in the opening frame with five different hitters contributing multiple kills. The Tigers opened the match on a 9-3 run and never looked back. Megan Anderson recorded two of the last three kills in the frame to hand the home team a quick 1-0 lead in the match.
The Tigers used its defense to secure the victory in the second set, limiting SBU to a -.061 attack percentage by recording six blocks. After FHSU scored three of the first four points, the Bearcats battled back to eventually take a momentary lead at 7-6. But the Tigers soon responded with kills from Sydney Dixon, Rebekah Spainhour and Crystal Whitten to take the lead for good. Spainhour served the team to six-straight points down the stretch, including two service aces. Whitten then closed the frame with her fifth kill of the set, giving FHSU a two-set lead at the break.
Fort Hays State stormed out of the locker room to open the third set, quickly extending an 11-3 lead behind multiple kills from Whitten and Anderson. The Bearcats gave the Tigers two free points later in the set after serving out of rotation on two separate occasions, helping FHSU extend the lead to 14 (20-6). The Bearcats rallied to score the next nine points, the only time they scored more than two points in a row all night. Spainhour finally ended the run with a kill before dropping in a service ace two plays later. Whitten ended the night with a booming kill on a pass from Hannah Wagy, giving FHSU the 25-17 win.
Head coach Kurt Kohler’s squad hit .290 for the match, committing just 10 errors on the night, while limiting SBU to a miniscule .010 attack percentage. The Tigers made 10 blocks in the match, adding seven points on service aces.
Whitten led the match with 13 kills, adding nine digs and two total blocks. Spainhour joined her teammate in double digits with 10 kills while matching the Tiger season-high with four service aces (Becca Page, at OPSU, 9/3). Anderson knocked down eight kills without committing an error, posting a .533 attack percentage while adding three blocks. Callie Christensen posted a team-high four blocks (two solo). Wagy distributed 34 assists on the night, adding two service aces and one block.
The Tigers will return to the floor on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 30) at 1 p.m. when they face off with Missouri Southern. The team will be celebrating its five seniors before the final regular season home match of their career.