By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

After being held to 21 points in a physical first half, the sixth-ranked Fort Hays State Lady Tigers explode for 41 in the second half to beat No. 19 Wayne State (Neb.) in the second-round of the NCAA II Central Regional Saturday night at Gross Coliseum. FHSU improves to 30-3 and advances to the regional finals Monday where they will take on Emporia State who knocked of Pittsburg State 65-54 in overtime.

FHSU Postgame Press Conference

Game Highlights

Fort Hays State used a 14-0 run spanning the first and second halves to build a 14-point lead. After Wayne State  pulled within six with 13:26 to play, Chelsea Mason hit a 3-pointer to push the lead to nine. Jill Faxon and Beth Bohuslavsky also hit key 3-pointers in the second half to hold off Wildcat runs.

The FHSU defense played well all night, holding WSC to 33-percent shooting including 2-of-16 from beyond the arc. The Lady Tigers shot 56-percent in the second half including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.

Kate Lehman led Fort Hays State with a game-high 23 points. Chelsea Mason added 13 and Beth Bohuslavsky 12. Paige Lunsford scored five and grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists.

FHSU sophomore point guard Nicola Kacperska injured her left trying to steal an inbounds pass in the first half. Kacperska tried to come back in the first half but was unable to play.