Fort Hays State women’s basketball had never played a No. 1 ranked team. Saturday the Tigers both played and beat top-ranked Emporia State University 71-70.

The Lady Hornets jumped out to a 6-4 lead on Fort Hays State over the first two and half minutes of Saturday’s showdown. Most of the first quarter was a free throw contest with the Hornets going 10-10 and the Tigers 8-10 over the first ten minutes. The Tigers built a six point lead at 16-10, only to have it erased by the end of the first quarter when Emporia State scored six straight concluding with a basket at the buzzer.

Highlights

The Tigers opened the second quarter with a 12-4 run going up 28-20 on back to back three point plays from Paige Lunsford and Taylor Chandler. Fort Hays State pushed their lead to ten with one minute left in the first half on a Lunsford field goal. The two teams traded baskets over the final minute leaving the Tigers with a 37-30 halftime lead.

Coach Tony Hobson

Fort Hays pushed their lead as high as ten on two occasions in the third quarter, the latest at 50-40 with 5:58 remaining. Emporia State though would respond with a 15-4 run to grab a lead at the end of three quarters 55-54. Fort Hays would grab the lead for good on a Bohuslavsky three pointer at 61-58 after trailing by two points early in the fourth quarter. Fort Hays built their lead to seven with ninety second remaining, when Emporia State hit two deep three pointers bringing the game within one point at 71-70. The Tigers turned the ball over on their next possession, but Emporia State would never get a shot off after being tied up in the lane and turning the ball over with two seconds left.

Beth Bohuslavsky scored a game high 21. Paige Lunsford a career high 16 and Chelsea Mason added 11.

Fort Hays moves to 8-0 and 2-0 in the MIAA. Emporia State falls to 7-1, 1-1. The Tigers are off until next Saturday when they host Nebraska Kearney.