HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State volleyball gave fifth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney Lopers all they could handle Tuesday evening (Sept. 26) inside Gross Memorial Coliseum, but the visitors bounced back from a second-set defeat to take the match, 3-1 (19-25, 25-23, 15-25, 18-25). The Tigers fall to 8-9 overall and 0-3 in the MIAA, while the Lopers are now 13-1 this season and 3-0 in league play.
Interim head coach Brandi Fairbank
The Tigers hit .124 in the match, better than UNK’s opponent average of .111 for the season. The perennial powers countered with a .230 attack percentage, including three sets with swing rates better than .260. Fort Hays State picked up two more blocks than UNK, 10-8, but the Lopers had a strong edge in digs, picking up a season-high 92 compared to 79 for the home team.
Tatum Bartels had a strong night for the Tigers, totaling nine kills and six blocks while making just two errors to compile a .292 attack percentage. Logan Wallick picked up a team-high 11 kills after playing just three sets, swinging at a .182 clip. Kylie Rollman also reached double-figures in kills, chipping in 10 kills and six blocks. Libero Taylor White totaled a team-best 23 digs while adding the lone service ace in the match for either team. Amiriah Bentley tossed up 38 assists, also adding nine digs, three kills and one block.
UNK’s Tara Ziegelbein picked up a match-high 17 kills and a .469 attack percentage while chipping in four blocks on defense. Lindsey Smith tossed up 52 assists for the Lopers, adding four kills, seven digs and two blocks.
Fort Hays State kept things close to open the first set, never trailing by more than two until UNK went on a 5-1 run to stretch the advantage to 14-10. A kill from Magan Alexander triggered a three-point run for the Tigers, culminated by White’s service ace to narrow the gap to 14-13. UNK proceeded to score the next six points, taking a commanding seven-point lead. The Tigers were unable to get any closer than five points for the remainder of the set, ultimately dropping the frame 25-19.
The Lopers jumped out to an early lead in the second frame, quickly leading 6-3. Multiple kills from Sydney Dixon and a block from Dixon and Bartels helped the Tigers respond with a 5-2 run, tying things up at eight. Another big block from Bartels and Rollman put FHSU in front 12-10 later in the set, prompting a UNK timeout. After the Tigers stretched the lead to 15-12, the visitors put together a four-point run to take back the lead, 16-15. Trailing 18-16 three points later, the Tigers muscled together three-straight points to regain the advantage, 19-18. Callie Christensen dropped in one of her five kills on the night before Bartels and Bentley combined on a block to tie things up. The Lopers bounced back to take four of the next six rallies, retaking the lead 22-21. A UNK service error tied things up at 22 and opened the door for the Tigers, who took full advantage after a block from Wallick and Christensen put FHSU in front 23-22. A Loper attack sailed wide to help FHSU reach set point before Rollman and Christensen teamed up for the set-winning block two serves later, tying the match at one.
Nebraska-Kearney proved why it is one of the top teams in the country coming out of the locker room, totaling just eight errors in the final two sets and swinging at a .264 clip after intermission. The Lopers scored the first six points in both the third and fourth sets, putting all the pressure on the Tigers. FHSU was unable to respond in the third set, falling 25-15, but managed to bounce back in the fourth set and take the lead.
After the visitors went up 6-0 to open the fourth, Fort Hays State responded with a 9-3 run to tie things up at nine. The Tigers later took a momentary lead after scoring three-straight points, giving them a 12-11 advantage. Nebraska-Kearney regained the momentum after that three-point spurt, scoring 11 of the final 14 points to secure the win, 25-18.
The Tigers head back out on the road this weekend, first traveling to Edmond, Okla. for a date with ninth-ranked Central Oklahoma Friday (Sept. 29) at 6 p.m. FHSU will wrap up the quick road trip with a Saturday (Sept. 30) evening contest at Pittsburg State, with first serve also set for 6 p.m.