#25/22 Fort Hays State (0-1, 0-1 MIAA) vs
Missouri Western (0-1, 0-1 MIAA)
Thursday, Sept. 12 – 7 pm
Hays, Kan. – Lewis Field Stadium

Game Sponsor: Eagle
Game Theme: Blackout (Wear black to the game)
Free Pregame Concert: Country artist Seth Cook (5-6:15 pm on the east lawn outside of Lewis Field Stadium)
Game Sponsor Promotion: Eagle is giving away 500 TGOF shirts starting at 5:30 PM on the northwest side of Lewis Field. Look for the “We love FHSU” flag.

 

Fort Hays State Football will play its first home game of the 2019 season on Thursday night (Sept. 12) when it takes on Missouri Western. Kickoff is set for 7 pm at Lewis Field Stadium. The No. 25/22 ranked Tigers seek their first win of the season after falling in the season opener at Central Missouri last week.

The Tigers look to avenge a loss to the Griffons last year. Missouri Western defeated FHSU by a score of 23-13 in St. Joseph when FHSU was No. 5 in the AFCA Top 25 Poll. Prior to that, FHSU had won two in a row against the Griffons. This will be the first meeting between the teams in Hays since the 2016 season, when the Tigers won 35-27. FHSU won the 2017 installment of the series, winning 38-10 in St. Joseph. This is the third straight meeting between the teams in which the Tigers have held a top-25 national ranking.

Fort Hays State has been tough at home the last two seasons, going 12-0 in MIAA play during that span at Lewis Field Stadium. The only blemish at home since the beginning of the 2017 season was a playoff loss to Ferris State (Mich.). FHSU has claimed its last four home openers.

Fort Hays State held a 30-21 fourth-quarter lead over Central Missouri in the season opener, but UCM rallied for a pair of touchdowns in the final six minutes of the game to upend the then No. 11/8 ranked Tigers. Chance Fuller threw for a career-high 333 yards in the game, while Harley Hazlett (184), Charles Tigner (120), and Layne Bieberle (104) all produced over 100 all-purpose yards in the game.

The Tigers held the Mules to 34 total yards in the first quarter, but the Mule offense found its footing after halftime. The Mules produced 329 of their 516 yards in the game in the second half. The 516 yards allowed was well above the average of 326.1 the Tigers surrendered per game in 2018. However, it was the second straight year the Tigers surrendered more than 500 to the Mules.

The Tiger defense will look to bounce back after its second-half struggles last week. Tanner Hoekman and Drew Harvey tied for a team-high eight tackles each last week. FHSU held Missouri Western to 302 total yards last year despite the loss.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – No. 12 Fort Hays State University was defeated on Wednesday night by No. 19 Maryville University, 3-0.

In every nearly every major statistic, the Saints came out leading. By the end of the match, the Tigers had failed to put even one shot on goal.

Santiago Agudelo opened up the game with a fire lit inside from their previous defeat at Eastern New Mexico, taking two shots in the first four minutes. Following a corner by Sergio Villalba in the 12th minute, Maryville raced down the field and scored a goal off of the boots of Mirza Hasecic from the edge of the 18-yard box.

From that moment the Saints had complete control of the first half, only allowing one shot from the Tigers.

Beginning the second half, an Agudelo shot that missed the target preceded a pair of fouls, one by each side. After that foul, the Saints were once again backing the Tigers into their own territory. In the 53rd minute, the Saints’ Braden Johson hit the back of the next on a three-yard tap in to increase the Maryville lead, 2-0.

Just over 20 minutes later, the Saints struck again. The ball found the feet of Grady Schliepsiek just outside the six-yard box. Schliepsiek struck the ball inside the left post past goalkeeper Cullen Fisch for the final goal of the match.

A bright spot of the Tigers performance was their ability to win corners (6) and the abilities of Fisch, who tallied four saves on seven shots faced, at the back of the defense.

The Tigers will head to Denver, Colo. on Sunday to face off against the Regis University Rangers for Fort Hays’ final out of conference matchup of the regular season. While the two programs have never gone head-to-head, Regis currently posts a 0-1-1 record after drawing with Saint Martin’s University and losing to Concordia University (Ore.).

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State moved to No. 12 in the first regular season edition of the United Soccer Coaches Division II Top 25 Poll. The Tigers started the year ranked No. 3 in the poll, but a 1-1 start to the season last week pushed the Tigers down nine spots in the poll.

Eastern New Mexico, the team that defeated FHSU over the past weekend, jumps into the poll this week at No. 17 after a 2-0 start to the season. Along with their win over the Tigers, the Greyhounds also knocked off then No. 17 ranked Colorado Mesa.

Fort Hays State will play a ranked opponent on Wednesday (Sept. 11) when it heads to Kansas City to face Maryville University of St. Louis. The No. 12 Tigers and No. 19 ranked Saints will clash at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri at 3 pm. The match pits a pair of NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago. FHSU will then head to Denver on the weekend to take on Regis University.

The No. 1, 2, and 3 ranked teams in the nation all lost during the opening week allowing West Chester, a 2018 national semifinalist along with FHSU, to move up to No. 1 in the nation. Cal Poly Pomona, the national runner-up fell all the way out of the Top 25 from a No. 2 preseason ranking.

Below is the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll for September 10, 2019.

Rank	School	Prev	W-L-T
1	West Chester University	4	1-0-0
2	Adelphi University	5	1-0-0
3	Lander University	5	2-0-0
4	Young Harris College	5	1-0-0
5	Azusa Pacific University	11	2-0-0
6	West Texas A&M University	9	1-0-0
7	Ohio Valley University	15	1-0-0
8	Barry University	1	1-1-0
9	Palm Beach Atlantic University	10	2-0-0
10	California State University-Los Angeles	20	2-0-0
11	Midwestern State University	14	2-0-0
12	Fort Hays State University	3	1-1-0
13	University Of Indianapolis	NR	2-0-0
14	California State University-San Bernardino	NR	2-0-0
15	Gannon University	NR	2-0-0
16	Mercy College	24	1-0-1
17	Eastern New Mexico University	NR	2-0-0
18	Spring Hill College	20	1-0-0
19	Maryville University of St. Louis	NR	2-0-0
20	Lynn University	12	1-0-0
21	Rogers State University	NR	1-0-1
22	Wilmington University	NR	2-0-0
23	Simon Fraser University	13	1-1-0
24	Seton Hill University	NR	2-0-0
25	St. Mary’s University (Texas)	NR	2-0-0

Also receiving votes: University Of Charleston, Queens College, Queens University Of Charlotte, Wingate University, University Of West Florida, Bellarmine University, Clayton State University, Northeastern State University, Florida Tech

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark, – Fort Hays State senior goalkeeper, Cullen Fisch has been awarded the Great American Conference (GAC) Goalkeeper of the Week, as announced on Tuesday (Sept. 10) by the league office. This is the first time a Tiger athlete has been selected as a receipient of this honor.

Fisch helped propel No. 3 Fort Hays State to a 3-0 victory against Rockhurst in their home-opener by notching five saves and a clean sheet. In their loss to Eastern New Mexico, the La Vista, Neb. native proved to be a bright spot tallying another five stops. Fisch begins his season with an .833 save percentage adding 10 saves to his stat line.

The Tigers will go on the road to face Maryville University on Wednesday (Sept. 11) from Kansas City, Mo. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.

HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State men’s soccer program has announced a schedule change for this weeks game. Due to impending weather, the Tigers men’s soccer game will be moved from Thursday (Sept. 12) at 3 p.m. to Wednesday (Sept. 11) at 3 p.m. The location of the contest will be at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Mo.

The Tigers are set to take on Maryville University, a team they have yet to face in program history. The Saints enter the match, 2-0, scoring five goals in a pair of games while FHSU is 1-1 having only scored their season opener.

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Fort Hays State women’s golf team turned in a 12th place finish at the 21st Annual NSU Golf Classic Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 9-10) at Cherokee Springs Golf Course. The Tigers battled hot and blustery conditions both days, posting team scores of 325 and 333 on the par-72, 5,964-yard course.

Taylor DeBoer finished in a tie for 17th with a two-round score of 12-over 156. The senior was tied for eighth after a first-round 76 before signing for an 80 in round two. Kira Mestl posted consecutive rounds of 7-over 79 to finish with a 158, good for 32nd place. The sophomore was the lone Tiger to record multiple birdies on the week, picking up one birdie in both rounds.

Freshman Kate Peterka fired rounds of 83 and 84 to record a tournament total of 167, finishing in a tie for 52nd. Peterka was successful at evading the big number, leading the team with just one double or worse on the week. Madison Roether (87-91-178) finished T64 and Katie Brungardt (94-90-184) placed 67th to round out the scoring for the Tigers.

The Tigers sat in 10th after their first-round 325 before finishing the tournament with a two-round score of 658. MIAA-newcomer Rogers State took the team title with rounds of 307 and 302 while Aitana Hernandez from host Northeastern State took the individual crown with a 3-over 147 (72-75).

Fort Hays State has a week off before heading back out on the road September 24-25. Next up is a short trip north to Awarii Dunes Golf Course outside Kearney, Neb. for the MIAA Fall Preview.

Mirroring its movement in the AFCA Top 25 Poll released on Monday, Fort Hays State dropped 14 spots in the D2Football.com Media Poll released on Tuesday (Sept. 10). The Tigers moved from No. 8 in the poll down to No. 22 after their loss in the season opener at Central Missouri.

Fort Hays State is one of four MIAA teams in the latest D2Football.com Poll. Northwest Missouri State held steady at No. 6. Central Missouri jumped into the poll at No. 20, and Pittsburg State is right behind FHSU at No. 23.

The Tigers look for their first win of the young season on Thursday night (Sept. 12) when they play host to Missouri Western. Kickoff at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays is set for 7 pm.

Below is the D2Football.com Top 25 Media Poll for September 10, 2019.

 

Team		Record	Last Week
1	Valdosta State	1-0	1
2	Ferris State	1-0	2
3	Minnesota State	1-0	3
4	Ouachita Baptist	1-0	4
5	Tarleton State	1-0	5
6	Northwest Missouri State	1-0	6
7	CSU-Pueblo	1-0	7
8	Minnesota Duluth	1-0	9
9	Grand Valley	1-0	10
10	Notre Dame	1-0	11
11	Indianapolis	1-0	12
12	Texas A&M-Commerce	1-0	13
13	West Georgia	1-0	14
14	Lenoir-Rhyne	1-0	15
15	Colorado School of Mines	1-0	17
16	Midwestern State	1-0	18
17	Slippery Rock	1-0	22
18	West Chester	1-0	19
19	Wingate	1-0	23
20	Central Missouri	1-0	NR
21	Harding	0-1	16
22	Fort Hays State	0-1	8
23	Pittsburg State	1-0	24
24	West Alabama	1-0	25
25	Ashland	0-1	20

WACO, Texas – Fort Hays State moved down to No. 25 in the latest edition of the AFCA Division II Top 25 Poll on Monday (Sept. 9). The Tigers drop 14 spots in the poll after their season-opening loss at Central Missouri.

The MIAA now has four teams inside the Top 25 of the poll. Even though Northwest Missouri State won its season opener against Missouri Western, NWMSU moved down one spot to No. 7 in this week’s poll. With its win over Fort Hays State, Central Missouri jumped from the receiving votes section to No. 21 in the poll. Pittsburg State also moved up out of the receiving votes section to No. 23 after defeating Central Oklahoma in Week 1. Fort Hays State hangs on in the poll at No. 25. Emporia State is the only MIAA team referenced in the receiving votes section of this week’s poll.

Fort Hays State looks to get back on track this week when it hosts Missouri Western on Thursday night (Sept. 12) in Hays at 7 pm. The Tigers are looking to avenge a 23-13 loss to the Griffons last year in St. Joseph. Missouri Western fell to Northwest Missouri State in Week 1 by a score of 45-35, but the 35 points is the most scored in a game against Northwest Missouri since 2014 when Pittsburg State scored 35 in a win over NWMSU.

Below is the AFCA Top 25 Poll following Week 1.

Rank	School (1st votes)	Record	Pts.	Prev.	Season Opener	Next Game
1.	Valdosta St. (Ga.) (31)	1-0	799	1	D. Albany St. (Ga.), 38-3	Sept. 14 vs. Ohio Dominican
2.	Ferris St. (Mich.)	1-0	732	2	D. Findlay (Ohio), 24-23	Sept. 14 at Central Washington
3.	Minnesota St.	1-0	718	3	D. Southwest Minnesota St., 38-23	Sept. 14 vs. Augustana (S.D.)
4.	Notre Dame (Ohio)	1-0	646	4	D. Concord (W.Va.), 33-10	Sept. 12 at West Liberty (W.Va.)
5.	Tarleton St. (Texas)	1-0	644	7	D. Stephen F. Austin (Texas), 37-26	Sept. 14 vs. Doane (Neb.)
6.	Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)	1-0	643	5	D. No. 18 Harding (Ark.), 16-14	Sept. 14 at Arkansas Tech
7.	Northwest Missouri St. (1)	1-0	624	6	D. Missouri Western St., 45-35	Sept. 14 vs. Washburn (Kan.)
8.	Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)	1-0	578	8	D. St. Augustine’s (N.C.), 68-7	Sept. 14 at Virginia Union
9.	Colorado St.-Pueblo	1-0	545	9	D. Dixie St. (Utah), 36-7	Sept. 14 at Chadron St. (Neb.)
10.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	1-0	488	12	D. Edinboro (Pa.), 35-10	Sept. 14 vs. Delta St. (Miss.)
11.	Slippery Rock (Pa.)	1-0	441	10	D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 62-37	Sept. 14 vs. Shippensburg (Pa.)
12.	Minnesota-Duluth	1-0	397	14	D. Minot St. (N.D.), 52-7	Sept. 14 at Minnesota St.-Moorhead
13.	Texas A&M-Commerce	1-0	400	13	D. Seleccion Nuevo Leon (Mexico), 83-0	Sept. 14 at Western Oregon
14.	West Georgia	1-0	396	15	D. Catawba (N.C.), 37-9	Sept. 14 at Limestone (S.C.)
15.	Indianapolis (Ind.)	1-0	355	16	D. No. 23 Ashland (Ohio), 24-9	Sept. 14 vs. Hillsdale (Mich.)
16.	Midwestern St. (Texas)	1-0	331	20	D. Northwestern St. (La.), 33-7	Sept. 14 at Lindenwood (Mo.)
17.	Colorado School of Mines	1-0	313	17	D. Adams St. (Colo.), 41-10	Sept. 14 vs. Black Hills St. (S.D.)
18.	Wingate (N.C.)	1-0	208	21	D. Johnson C. Smith (N.C.), 42-6	Sept. 14 at Fayetteville St. (N.C.)
19.	West Chester (Pa.)	1-0	189	22	D. Bentley (Mass.), 14-7	Sept. 14 at Gannon (Pa.)
20.	West Alabama	1-0	173	24	D. Limestone (S.C.), 35-18	Sept. 14 at Tusculum (Tenn.)
21.	Central Missouri	1-0	105	NR	D. No. 11 Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 34-30	Sept. 12 at Northeastern St. (Okla.)
22.	Harding (Ark.)	0-1	95	18	Lost to No. 5 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 16-14	Sept. 14 vs. Arkansas-Monticello
23.	Pittsburg St. (Kan.)	1-0	84	NR	D. Central Oklahoma, 37-35	Sept. 14 vs. Emporia St. (Kan.)
24.	Indiana (Pa.)	1-0	83	NR	D. New Haven (Conn.), 24-13	Sept. 14 at Millersville (Pa.)
25.	Fort Hays St. (Kan.)	0-1	67	11	Lost to Central Missouri, 34-30	Sept. 12 vs. Missouri Western

Dropped Out: Hillsdale (Mich.) (19), Ashland (Ohio) (23), Fairmont St. (W.Va.) (25).

Others Receiving Votes: Bowie St. (Md.), 56; Virginia Union, 40; Ashland (Ohio), 38; Augustana (S.D.), 30; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 24; California (Pa.), 23; Southern Arkansas, 15; Ohio Dominican, 13; West Texas A&M, 13; Colorado Mesa, 12; Angelo St. (Texas), 10; Florida Tech, 10; Emporia St. (Kan.), 9; Kutztown (Pa.), 9; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 9; Albany St. (Ga.), 5; Chadron St. (Neb.), 5; Winona St. (Minn.), 5; Central Washington, 4; Findlay (Ohio), 4; Michigan Tech, 4; Shepherd (W.Va.), 3; St. Cloud State (Minn.), 2; Eastern New Mexico, 1; Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 1; Kentucky St., 1.

PORTALES, N.M. – Following their most recent defeat, 0-2, against Eastern New Mexico on Sunday, the No. 3 ranked Tigers begin the 2019 season with a record of 1-1-0. Eastern New Mexico picked up its second-consecutive shutout over a ranked opponent to open 2019 after downing No. 17 ranked Colorado Mesa on Thursday evening.

The match began on time but nearly 10 minutes in, the game was put on hold for a 30-minute lightning delay. Out of the break, senior forward Santiago Agudelo was handed a yellow card. However, the action from the Tigers would be very quiet for the remainder of the half.

In the 35th minute, the Greyhounds found strength in an attack that was played off of a foul drawn by Lucas Vaz. Gabriel Peres took his second shot, which was saved by senior goalkeeper Cullen Fisch and resulted in a corner kick for Eastern New Mexico.

Moments later, the Greyhounds’ Joaquin Borruel found the back of the net on an assist from Charlie Hackshall. The Tigers would attempt to counter their one-goal deficit but only took two shots in the remaining 10 minutes of the first half.

Following halftime, it only took five minutes for Eastern New Mexico to add another tally to its scoreline.The Tigers turned possession over to the Greyhounds with an offside call. Defender Alec Bevis committed a foul and under 30 seconds later, the Greyounds’ Peres scored his first goal of the 2019 season. The remainder of the second half was silent on the scoresheet.

Fort Hays State totaled 11 shots during their performance and Fisch contributed five saves in the loss.

The Tigers will take on Maryville University for a 3 p.m. kickoff in Kansas City on Thursday, Sept. 12. The two sides have never faced off in the history of their programs. The Saints, a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), hold a 2-0 record to begin their campaign.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A goal from senior Darby Hirsch and a strong defensive effort was enough to help the Fort Hays State women’s soccer team secure its first win of the new year Sunday (Sept. 8), knocking off Sioux Falls 1-0.

The defense was solid for the Tigers, allowing just three shots on goal for the Cougars. Sophomore goalkeeper Deonna Wellbrock (1-0) got the start today and pitched her third career shutout, stopping all three shots she faced.

The first half was back-and-forth as neither team could break through offensively. The Tigers broke the tie just three minutes in the second half when Hirsch scored on a lob over the goalkeeper from just outside the left corner of the 18-yard box. Cailey Perkins earned the assist after setting up the goal with a great pass.

After the goal by Hirsch, the defense kept the Cougars’ chances limited until very late in the match. With only ten seconds left, Sioux Falls was awarded an indirect free kick inside the penalty box. After a quick touch, Olivia Valdez took a strike on goal but Wellbrock made a fantastic diving save to her right to secure the win for the Tigers.

The Tigers finished the game with four shots on goal, all by different players.

Fort Hays State comes back home with a 1-1 record after the road trip, while Sioux Falls moves to 0-1 on the year. The Tigers open up at home against CSU-Pueblo on Friday night (Sept. 13). The matchup is scheduled for 7 p.m.

CHADRON, Neb. – The Fort Hays State volleyball team picked up a split on day two of the 2019 Eagle Classic Saturday, wrapping up the weekend with a thrilling five-set win over South Dakota Mines. The Tigers return to Hays 1-3 on the season, while Montana State Billings improved to 1-2 with their win over FHSU and Mines moves to 1-3.

Delaney Humm picked up 36 kills on the day, averaging 5.1 kills per set through the two matches.

Montana State Billings 3, Fort Hays State 0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-17)
The Tigers put together their best offensive performance of the season against the Yellowjackets (.269 attack percentage), but untimely errors cost FHSU a chance at its first win. The Tigers outperformed MSUB in nearly every statistical category, but the combination of 18 attack errors, 10 service errors and seven setting miscues made all the difference.

Montana State Billings opened the match with authority, scoring six of the first seven points en route to a 10-4 lead. The Tigers responded by capturing 12 of the next 13 rallies, including a 9-0 run to jump in front 16-11.

Freshman Delaney Humm recorded four of her team-high 14 kills during the big Tiger rally. The Tigers stretched the lead to eight later in the set when back-to-back kills from Morgan Christiansen made the score 23-15. A kill from Morgan West three rallies later gave the Tigers a chance at set point, but the Yellowjackets pulled off an impressive rally of nine-straight points to take the set 26-24.

The teams went back-and-forth for much of the second set before FHSU used a 7-1 run to take an 18-15 lead. The Tigers were unable to hold the lead after six FHSU errors helped the Yellowjackets close the set on a 10-4 run.

Humm also led the team in attack percentage, posting a .400 attack percentage after collecting her 14 kills on 25 swings. Kayla Vitztum added nine kills while Christiansen totaled eight kills. Katie Darnell tossed up 18 assists and added six digs while Haley McCorkle chipped in 15 assists and five digs. Abbie Hayes led the team with 11 digs while Tatum Bartels and Madison Miller both recorded a pair of service aces.

Fort Hays State 3, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology 2 (25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 25-27, 15-13)
The Tigers recorded their first win of the season in a highly competitive affair, holding on in the fifth set to clinch the win over South Dakota Mines. Delaney Humm was a go-to for the Tiger offense, with the freshman recording the set-winning kill in all three set victories.

Fort Hays State posted a .181 attack percentage in the victory while limiting Mines to a .120 swing rate. The Tigers were clicking in the final set, posting a .333 swing percentage (12-3-27). The Tigers picked up 14 blocks in the win, including five solo blocks from Morgan Christiansen and four from Tatum Bartels.

Humm and Bartels finished the match with a career-best 22 kills, while Humm added 12 digs for a double-double. Haley McCorkle tossed up 34 assists, with Katie Darnell adding 22 assists. Abbie Hayes totaled 18 digs in the win, with Madison Miller (13), Humm and Darnell (10) also reaching double figures.

The teams traded blows all evening, with neither side leading by more than seven in any set. The Tigers slowly built a lead in the first set, but four-straight points from Mines tied things up at 21-21. Humm stepped up to record three kills and a block assist on the final four rallies to give the Tigers a 25-21 win.

Fort Hays State led by three midway through the second set, but the Hardrockers pulled in front with a 6-1 run.

The squads traded sustained runs in the third set before Fort Hays State scored seven of the final 10 points to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

The Tigers appeared to be in the driver’s seat in the fourth set, jumping in front 18-11. Mines didn’t go away quietly, however, scoring the next eight points to take the lead. Fort Hays State battled back to have two shots at match point before the Hardrockers forced a fifth set with three consecutive points.

FHSU and Mines went back-and-forth again in the final set, with the Tigers capturing the first three points before the Hardrockers battled within 8-7 when the teams traded sides. Mines took its first lead of the set at 10-9, but kill from Christiansen returned the momentum to the Tigers. Bartels recorded kills on three of the next five rallies before Humm finished off the match on a pass from McCorkle.

The Tigers return to Hays to host the 2019 Tiger Classic next weekend inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. FHSU will host six matches on both Friday and Saturday (Sept. 13-14), with action beginning at 9 a.m. each day.

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State Tennis opened its 2019-20 season on Saturday (Sept. 7) at the FHSU Tennis Courts against Hastings College. The Tigers claimed all nine matches on the afternoon, producing a final score of 7-0 in the match.

The Tigers swept doubles play all by scores of 6-1. Ellea Ediger and Natalie Lubbers teamed at the No. 1 position, Macy Moyers and Sydney McAdoo teamed in the No. 2 slot, and Kimberly Stone and Grace Holgerson teamed at No. 3. With the sweep, the Tigers earned the one team point given for doubles play.

Fort Hays State swept all the singles matches in straight sets. Lubbers (No. 1), Moyers (No. 2), and Ediger (No. 3) allowed no more than one point in their matches. Lubbers defeated Megan Petr, winning the first set 6-1 before Petr had to retire from the match due to illness. Moyers claimed her match 6-0, 6-1 over Megan Waterhouse. Ediger defeated Theresa Price 6-1, 6-0.

At the No. 4 position, Sydney McAdoo had to win the first set 6-4 over Hannah Theisen before posting a 6-0 shutout in the second set. Stone defeated Madelyn Redding 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 5 position. Holgerson won at No. 6 by scores of 6-3 and 6-2.

Fort Hays State heads to Pueblo, Colorado next weekend (Sept. 13-14) for three matches against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams. The Tigers will face MSU-Denver, Colorado Mesa, and CSU-Pueblo.

CHADRON, Neb. – The Fort Hays State volleyball squad dropped a pair of matches to open the 2019 season Friday (Sept. 6), falling to Sioux Falls and Chadron State in straight sets.

The Tigers have a chance to pick up two wins Saturday and escape the weekend with a .500 record when they continue play in the 2019 Eagle Classic. First up is a 12:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m. MT) match with Montana State Billings before FHSU wraps up the weekend with South Dakota School of Mines at 5:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. MT).

Sioux Falls 3, Fort Hays State 0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-16)
Fort Hays State opened the year against the Cougars of Sioux Falls, who came into the season receiving votes in the AVCA Coaches Top 25 poll. The Tigers struggled to find a rhythm, posting a .125 attack percentage for the match while the Cougars countered with a .255 swing rate.

Morgan West led the team with eight kills and just one attack error on 16 swings, good for a .438 attack percentage. Katie Darnell tossed up 23 assists while Morgan Christiansen led the team with four blocks. Isabelle Reynolds dropped in the lone service ace for the Tigers.

The best offensive frame came in the second set for the Tigers, when they totaled nine kills and just three errors on 34 swings. Kasandra Springer paced the Cougars with 12 kills and three service aces.

Chadron State 3, Fort Hays State 0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-23)
The Tigers kept things close with host Chadron State in the night cap, but in all three sets the Eagles put together a run to secure the victory.

Fort Hays State recorded a .152 attack percentage in the loss, while giving up a .276 swing rate to the Eagles. Morgan West once again led the Tigers with nine kills, while Delaney Humm and Kayla Vitztum added seven kills each. Katie Darnell contributed 23 assists while Haley McCorkle provided a change of pace off the bench in the third set, adding four assists.

After dropping the first two sets, the Tigers seemed poised to extend the match after scoring the first four points of the third set. FHSU led by as many as 9-4 before the Eagles started to rally. Emily Ellis did her best to hold off the Eagle run, coming off the bench to record a big kill and a service ace on back-to-back rallies. After tying the score at 13-13, CSC took the lead for good at 17-16.