TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Fort Hays State took to the road for the second time in 2016 as they took on Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The two played to a first quarter stalemate with neither team getting inside of the other’s 45 yard line.

The Tigers looked to have their fist score early in the second quarter, but a holding penalty brought back a passing touchdown. The Tigers would have that drive end on a missed 51 yard field goal. Fort Hays defensively continued to pressure the Riverhawks and eventually forced quarterback Dimonick McKinzy into mistakes. The sophomore quarterback hadn’t thrown an interception in the first three games of the season. That all changed when Rashad Dunigan picked off a pass. The Tigers turned that into a five play drive capped off by a one yard run by Malik Thomas to put Fort Hays up 7-0. On the very next drive McKinzy threw his second interception when DeAndre James intercepted a pass and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown and 14-0 lead.

Highlights

The Tiger special teams then came up with a big play at the end of the first half when Layne Bieberle blocked a punt to give the Tigers the football in Riverhawk territory with twenty-five seconds left before half time. Fort Hays converted on third down on a pass to Isaiah Maxi and stopped the clock with a spike at the 15 yard line allowing Brandon Brown to come onto the field for a 32 yard field goal and 17-0 half time lead.

Northeastern State opened the second half on a 105 yard kickoff return for a touchdown but was called back on a hold. The Riverhawks though would score on the drive on a 38 yard pass from McKinzy to Reshawn Eubanks cutting the Tiger lead down to 17-7. Fort Hays responded on the next drive with a 27 yard scoring run from Shaq Cooper to regain a three possession lead at 24-7. The Tigers put the Riverhawks out of reach early in the fourth quarter when Doyin Jibowu blocked a field goal attempt and Raheeme Dumas returned it 65 yards for a touchdown. Fort Hays added a 17 yard field from Brandon Brown following a Tanner Hoekman interception for the final margin of 34-7.

Coach Chris Brown

Fort Hays moves to 3-1 on the season. Northeastern State falls to 1-3. The Tigers are at home on Saturday versus Lindenwood for homecoming.

HAYS, Kan. – After dropping the first two sets, the Fort Hays State University volleyball team was unable to complete the comeback Saturday afternoon against No. 18 Washburn, falling in four sets. The Tigers battled out of the intermission to capture the third set, but the momentum was short lived. FHSU moves to 13-2 this season and 1-2 in MIAA play, while the Ichabods are now 11-4 overall and 2-1 in conference action.

The Tigers were held to a .118 attack percentage in the match, their lowest of the season. However, FHSU improved its attack percentage in each set, closing the contest with a .179 hitting percentage in the fourth frame. The Ichabods countered with a .186 effort, with 11 of the 23 Washburn errors coming on blocks by FHSU. Both sides tallied 45 assists with the Tigers recording 64 digs to Washburn’s 60.

With the score tied at eight in the opening set, the Ichabods pulled away when they went on a 9-2 run to extend a 17-10 lead. Washburn rattled off the final four points to seal the 25-16 victory.

The Ichabods seemed to be cruising to another set victory in the second after taking a commanding 19-9 lead, allowing the Tigers back-to-back points just once during the stretch on blocks from Kyle Rollman and Callie Christensen. FHSU closed the gap to nine with a kill from Rebekah Spainhour and proceeded to score nine of the next 10 points to narrow the margin to just two, 24-22. Crystal Whitten delivered four kills down the stretch, but it was too little, too late as an Ichabod block halted the rally and handed Washburn a two-set lead.

Fort Hays State rallied out of the locker room, taking a 10-5 lead with Whitten serving to five-straight points. The Ichabods would never get within three points for the remainder of the set. An authoritative kill off Whitten’s left hand after a perfect pass from Hannay Wagy kept the Tigers alive with a 25-21 set victory.

The Tigers carried the momentum into the fourth set, quickly leading 6-2 thanks to multiple blocks from Wagy and Christensen. The Ichabods snatched the lead behind the powerful serving of Leanna Willer, helping the team to eight-straight points. The visitors stretched their lead to as many as eight (18-10) with a block before the Tigers drew within five on another block from Wagy and Christensen. Washburn then clamped down defensively, scoring four of the final seven points to close the match, 25-19.

Christensen swatted a career-high 10 total blocks in the match (two solo), fourth-most in the rally scoring era at FHSU (2001-current) and tied for second-most in a four-set match. The junior contributed five kills on the offensive side. Whitten delivered a game-high 18 kills and added nine digs. Ari Jacobsen led the team with 14 digs, with Wagy close behind at 13. Wagy posted a game-high 40 assists, adding two kills and two block assists.

Three Ichabods eclipsed 10 kills, with Leanna Willer leading the way at 14. The senior equaled libero Alyssa Carney’s total of 15 digs to lead the team.

The Tigers travel west to face off with Colorado Christian in a non-conference affair Tuesday evening (Sept. 27). First serve from Lakewood, Colo. is slated for 6 p.m. CDT (5 p.m. MDT). The Black and Gold will then return home for two more conference matches next weekend against No. 10 Central Missouri and Lindenwood.

FHSU Sports Information

DETROIT (AP) — Paulo Orlando hit a tying, two-run double and Eric Hosmer followed with a three-run homer against Francisco Rodriguez, capping a ninth-inning comeback that led the Kansas City Royals over the Detroit Tigers 7-4 Saturday.

Click below to listen to Fort Hays State football at Northeastern. Kickoff at Doc Wadley Stadium in Tahlequah, Okla. is at 1 p.m. with the Auto World Pregame Show at noon on Tiger Radio Mix-103.

HAYS, Kan. – In its first contest inside Gross Memorial Coliseum this season, the Fort Hays State University volleyball team returned to the win column Friday evening (Sept. 23) against Emporia State in front of 300 fans. The Tigers move to 13-1 overall and even out their conference record at 1-1 with the win, while the Hornets fall to 7-7 and 0-2 in conference play.

The Tigers compiled a .288 attack percentage in the match, highlighted by a .429 effort in the third set. FHSU held the Hornets to a .087 hitting percentage while tallying a season-high 15 blocks. The win gives Fort Hays State a two-game winning streak over Emporia State for the first time since 2003.

Kurt Kohler’s squad started off strong, taking the opening set 25-18. Crystal Whitten opened the set with a powerful kill, one of six in the set, before adding a service ace to give the Tigers two quick points. The sides swapped points early in match, with the Tigers never trailing by more than one. FHSU put the set out of reach with Hannay Wagy serving the team to six-straight points. Kylie Rollman recorded back-to-back kills before Rebekah Spainhour extended the Tiger lead to 21-15. A kill from Whitten ended the set like it started, this time on a pass from libero Ari Jacobsen.

The Hornets battled back to take the second set, leveling the score at one as the teams headed for the locker room. Spainhour picked up two solo blocks in the frame, helping the Tigers to six total blocks in the set. The Tigers jumped out to an 11-7 lead before the Hornets rattled off six-straight points to grab the lead. The Hornets earned a set point with a kill from Josie Williams, but Callie Chirstensen kept the team alive with a kill to level things at 24. Two Hornet kills handed ESU the 26-24 win.

Fort Hays State came out of the locker room on fire in the third set, coasting to a 25-13 victory while holding the Hornets to a -.054 attack percentage. The Tigers added six more blocks in the set, including three from Christensen. FHSU never trailed in the frame, extending a 11-5 lead with Spainhour serving. The home team scored 12 of the next 17 points to put the set on ice. Whitten again sealed the victory with a kill from Wagy.

The sides battled through the fourth set with the momentum shifting quickly after each team posted five-point rallies. Spainhour recorded a service ace to bring the Tigers within two points of victory, but the Hornets tallied three-straight to extend the match. An ESU error after a kill from Whitten brought the match to a close.

Whitten led the team with 18 kills, recording her seventh double-double this season after adding 10 digs. Christensen, the MIAA leader in blocks, recorded a game-high seven blocks (one solo) with Spainhour adding five (two solo). Wagy tossed up 47 assists, adding 12 digs and three total blocks (two solo). Christensen recorded a .526 attack percentage, posting 11 kills to just one error.

No Hornets reached double digits in kills, with Julia Joseph and Tatum Graves leading the team with eight each. Libero Kelly Holden recorded a game-high 19 digs, adding two service aces.

The Tigers will return to the floor against No. 18-ranked Washburn Saturday afternoon starting at 2 p.m.

FHSU Sports Information

TOPEKA, Kan. – Fort Hays State dropped its second straight match on Friday to Washburn by a score of 1-0. The Tigers are now 4-2-1 overall, while the Ichabods improved to 4-2-1.

The Tiger offense had a slow start as they could not get a rhythm going in the first half. They did not get a shot off until the 40:45 mark, a shot that was blocked by a defender. The Ichabods recorded five shots in the period, three on net. In the second half the Tigers came out firing and recorded seven shots in the period. The surge wasn’t enough however as they were unable to find the back of the net for the second straight match.

The Ichabods grit and took advantage of an opportunity in the 85th minute. After earning a corner kick, Morgan El-Attrache sent a ball into the box that Lexi Barton was able to head in for the only goal of the match.

Abbie Flax took the loss in net for the Tigers, saving three shots, and is now 3-2-1 on the season. Kaitlin Minnich picked up the win for Washburn with four saves.

The Tigers look to rebound on Sunday when they open up MIAA play at Emporia State. Kickoff is set for 2 pm.

FHSU Sports Information