The Fort Hays State men’s basketball team pushed its win streak in home openers to 41 straight with a 77-48 win over McPherson College on Saturday at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays. It moved the Tigers record to 40-0 in home openers at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Fort Hays State now has a five-game win streak in season openers.

Mark Johnson Postgame 11-10-12

McPherson led briefly twice in the early going before the Tigers took control. Down 5-4, the Tigers went on a 17-0 run to take a commanding 21-5 lead and never looked back. FHSU led 45-23 at the break and then outscored McPherson 32-25 in the second half.

The Tigers shot 44.6 percent from the field, but just 27.3 percent beyond the 3-point line. They held the Bulldogs to 31.6 percent shooting from the field and the same percentage beyond the 3-point line. FHSU forced 23 turnovers out of McPherson, 14 were steals for the Tigers. FHSU had 16 fast-break points in the game.

Ben Conguista was the top scorer for FHSU with a career-high 15 points. He was 5-of-10 from the field and buried three 3-point field goals. Also reaching double figures were Nick Capiti with 12 and Dwayne Brunson and Lance Russell each had 11. Rundell Mauge led the team in rebounds with nine and blocked shots with four. Congiusta led the way in assists with six and Capiti led in steals with five.

Ben Conguista Postagme 11-10-12

Kasey Miller led McPherson with 13 points, burying four 3-point field goals. He was the only Bulldog in double figures. Darius Hill pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and Dante Lee had a team-high four assists.

Fort Hays State looks to Tuesday when it hosts Bethany College at home. Game time is set for 7:30 pm at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

– FHSU Sports Information –

The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team won its ninth straight home opener with a 78-37 victory over McPherson College on Saturday at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The win is the eighth straight win for the Tigers over McPherson College. With the regular season and home-opening win, the Tigers are now 1-0 in the 2012-13 season.

Tony Hobson Postgame 11-10-12

The Tigers scored the first seven points to take a 7-0 lead less than 3 minutes into the game and pulled out to a 24-4 advantage midway through the first half. At halftime, FHSU led the Bulldogs, 32-11.

In the second half, the Tigers used a quick 13-4 run to push the lead to 45-15 with 15:54 remaining in the game. Already up 61-28, the Tigers scored 15 of the next 17 points to lead 76-30 with 3:37 left. The Tigers cruised to the 78-37 win.

Sophomore Kate Lehman totaled a career-high nine blocks, one more than her previous high of eight achieved twice last season. She poured in a game-high 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field. She also finished with seven rebounds.

Junior Katelyn Edwards finished with a double-double, scoring 11 points and grapping a game-high 13 rebounds in only 22 minutes. The double-double is her ninth of her FHSU career. Edwards, an All-MIAA Second Team selection a season ago, totaled game highs and career highs in assists (six) and steals (five), and added a career-high three blocks.

For the game, 11 Tigers scored with 15 players seeing game action. The Tigers shot 44.8 percent in the game from the floor, and the defense held McPherson to 26.3 percent, including 16.7 percent in the first half.

The Bulldogs of McPherson were led by sophomore Brittany Pittas with 13 points and Madison Chambers had a team-high eight rebounds.

The Tigers welcome Bethany College to Gross Memorial Coliseum on Tuesday (Nov. 13) for a 5:30 p.m. tip with the Swedes. The game is the second of four straight home games for the Tigers.

– FHSU Sports Information –

The Fort Hays State Tigers scored 20 unanswered second half points to rally from a 13-point halftime deficit and defeat Nebraska-Kearney 30-23 on a windy day at Cope Stadium in Kearney.

The Lopers used two long punt returns to set up short scoring drives and led 20-3. Tanner Hageman’s 55-yard touchdown reception from Anthony Sheppard pulled the Tigers within 20-10. The Lopers got a 44-yard field goal with 2:14 left in the second quarter.

Shaquille Cooper broke a 52-yard touchdown on the Tigers first possession of the second half to pull within a touchdown at 23-16 following a missed extra point.

After the defense forced a three-and-out and an 11-yard Kearney punt, FHSU had the ball at the UNK 35, two plays later Sheppard hit Cornelius Gallon for a 37-yard touchdown then tied the game on Drew O’Brien’s extra point tied the game at 23.

Fort Hays State would get the ball back with 9:56 to play at their own 35 when they manufactured a nine-play 75-yard scoring drive, scoring on a Cooper 18-yard run with 6:24 to play.

The Lopers had one final chance with under a minute to play, but Keke Paul intercepted a Matt Berry pass to seal the win.

Game Highlights

FHSU finshed with 426 yards of offense while the defense held UNK to 134 yards in the second half.

Coaches Interview

Anthony Sheppard completed 19 of 34 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for 78 yards on 19 carries. Shaquille Cooper rushed for 106 yards and scored two touchdowns. Tanner Hageman had five catches for 116 yards and a score.

Player Interview

FHSU finishes the season 5-6 and 4-6 in the MIAA. UNK ends their first season in the MIAA 3-8 and 2-8 in the MIAA.

On Senior Day in its regular season finale, the Fort Hays State volleyball team fell to No. 6 Central Missouri, 3-1, on Saturday at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers finish the regular season with a 23-13 overall record and a 7-10 MIAA record.

In the first game, the Jennies pulled out to an 18-7 lead. The Tigers made a slight run, closing the gap to 18-11, but UCM closed out the set with a 25-19 win. Senior Megan Glandon was strong for the Tigers in game one, putting down four kills and hitting .667 in her final home match.

The second game was much tighter with teams trading points. With the score tied at 15-15, the Jennies pulled out to a 19-16 lead on three kills. The Tigers closed to 19-18 after back-to-back points, but UCM closed out the game, 25-22.

With strong defense in the third game, the Tigers pulled out a 25-20 win. FHSU held the Jennies to a .022 hitting percentage with 13 kills and 12 errors. The Tigers hit .190 in the game with 12 kills and only four errors.

The Jennies closed out the match with a 25-14 game four win. Central Missouri hit .548 with 19 kills, while the Tigers hit .214 with nine kills in the final game.

Junior Madison Schwartz led the Tigers with a double-double. She finished with 10 kills and 11 digs. Sara Hewson was the only other Tiger in double figures in kills, putting down 11 kills. She added seven digs. Libero Makenzie Weinman finished with a team-high 13 digs. Senior setter Kayla Zoglman totaled 34 assists in her last match at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

The Jennies were led by Taylor Goodness, who put down 22 kills and hit .471 in the match.

The Tigers now prepare for the MIAA Tournament that begins on Tuesday.

– FHSU Sports Information –

The No. 6 seed Fort Hays State women’s soccer season ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a 2-0 loss to No. 3 seed Central Oklahoma on Friday afternoon (Nov. 9) at the Pitch at Gage Towers in Mankato, Minn. The Tigers finished the 2012 season with a 14-7-1 record, which included a MIAA Tournament Championship.

Two first half goals by the Bronchos were the difference in the 2-0 loss. UCO scored the game-winning goal in the sixth minute. Shayna Kindsvater scored her first goal of the season, putting the Bronchos up 1-0 early in the match.

Central Oklahoma doubled its lead to 2-0 in the 33rd minute on a goal by Kate Foran, her fifth of the season.

Despite 13 shots, the Tigers could not get on the scoreboard. UCO totaled 18 shots and held a 7-3 advantage in shots on goal.

Nicole Barnaba got the loss in goal, dropping her record to 10-3-1. She made five saves and allowed the two goals.

The Tigers, in their second season of soccer, won eight more matches than 2011 when FHSU went 6-11-1. This season, FHSU won the MIAA Tournament Championship, a first in its short history. The 14-7-1 record included a five-match win streak that was snapped in today’s NCAA Tournament.

– FHSU Sports Information –

The Fort Hays State volleyball team fell in straight sets to Emporia State on Tuesday evening in Emporia, Kan. The Hornets rolled to the win by scores of 25-18, 25-16, and 25-18, gaining a regular season split with the Tigers after FHSU won by a score of 3-1 earlier this year in Hays. The loss puts FHSU at 23-12 overall and 7-9 in the MIAA. Emporia State moved to 18-10 overall and 8-7 in the MIAA.

Emporia State rolled to the straight-set win by hitting .315 overall compared to just .115 for FHSU. ESU averaged nearly 27 digs per set with 70 total, compared to just 49 for FHSU, keeping several of the FHSU attacks in play throughout the night. The Hornets scored 55 of their 75 points on kills.

Paige Vanderpool and Courtney Haring led the Hornets with 14 kills each. Haring hit .458 and Vanderpool .394 for the match. Meg Schwartz averaged over nine digs per set for the Hornets with 28 and Katie Deutschmann led in assists with 25.

Taylor Mares led the Tigers in kills with seven, hitting .389 for the match with no errors on 18 attempts. Madison Schwartz added six kills. Kayle Zoaglman had 25 assists and Tara Hoekman led FHSU in digs with 15.

The Tigers close out the regular season on Saturday when they host No. 6 ranked Central Missouri at 11 am in Hays.

– FHSU Sports Information –

Both the Fort Hays State men’s and women’s soccer teams are headed to the NCAA tournament in just their second year of existence.

The Tiger men are the No. 2 seed in the Central Regional and will play top-seeded Northeastern State in Tahlequah either November 15th or 16th with the winner advancing to the Elite Eight. The Tigers have lost twice to the Riverhawks, both in double overtime.

The Fort Hays State women are the No. 6 seed in the Central Regional and will open with No. 3 seed Central Oklahoma Friday afternoon in Mankato, Minnesota. It’s a rematch of the MIAA tournament semifinals in which the Tigers beat the Bronchos 2-1 in double overtime. The Tigers are 1-1 against UCO this season.

Kansas used a couple of big first half runs to take control and defeat the Fort Hays State Lady Tigers 88-43 in an exhibition game Sunday afternoon in Lawrence. The Tigers had a 4-3 lead two minutes in when KU scored 11-straight to go up 10. They would later add a 15-0 run to push the lead to 25.

The Tigers, playing without point guard Kai Brown who tweaked her knee in the K-State game Thursday, were led by Kate Lehman and Kate Edwards. Lehman scored 16 points but was held to just three rebounds. Edwards chipped in 11 points and grabbed seven boards.

Tony Hobson Postgame 11-4-12

Kate Edwards Postgame 11-4-12

Game Highlights 11-4-12

The Fort Hays State women’s soccer team scored in double overtime to win the MIAA Championship, 2-1, over No. 1 seed Central Missouri on Sunday  in Warrenburg, Mo. The Tigers, who are in their second season of soccer, won their first MIAA Championship in the program’s short history. With the win, FHSU clinches a spot in the NCAA Tournament, which starts Nov. 9.

For the second straight match, the Tigers scored the golden goal in the 107th minute to win 2-1. This time, junior forward Joanne Glynn hit the game winner after the Jennies miscleared the ball, and Glynn gained possession and hit a shot that went in.

Fort Hays State took an early 1-0 lead less than 2 minutes into the match. Jordan Hester scored on a shot from the center of the box on a short pass from Bethany Keefer. The goal was Hester’s 10th goal of the season, a team high, and second of the MIAA Tournament.

The lead did not last long as the Jennies tied the score at 1-1 in the 10th minute. Aaryn Burke knocked in a rebound to knot the match at 1-1.

The match remained 1-1 for the rest of the 90 minute regulation and for the first 10 minutes of the first overtime. The Tigers scored the game-winning goal at the 6:32 mark of the second overtime.

Nicole Barnaba got the win in goal for the Tigers. She made five saves and allowed the one goal to up her season record to 9-2-1.

To win the MIAA Tournament Championship, the No. 6-seeded Tigers defeated the No. 1-3 seeds in the three rounds. In the quarterfinals, FHSU won 1-0 over No. 3 Truman and then the Tigers won 2-1 in double overtime against No. 2 Central Oklahoma to reach the MIAA Championship match.

The Tigers improved to 14-6-1 on the season. The NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday at 6:30 p.m.

– FHSU Sports Information –