FHSU Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After helping the Fort Hays State University women’s soccer team give up just one goal in 279 minutes of play over the weekend, senior CheyAnn Queener has been named MIAA Women’s Soccer Co-Defensive Player of the Week, announced Tuesday by the league office. Queener shared the honor with Central Missouri’s Abby Rhodes.

Queener helped anchor a defense that was stellar all weekend, giving FHSU its first 3-0 start in program history. The Tigers picked up a pair of shutouts, allowing an average of five shots per match against a trio of NSIC opponents. Queener and the rest of the back line surrendered just four shots on goal all weekend.

The Colorado Springs, Colo. native aided FHSU in limiting Southwest Minnesota State to six shots (two on goal) in a 3-0 win Thursday before holding Upper Iowa to just four shots (one on goal) in another 3-0 win Saturday. Minot State managed just five shots (one on goal) in a 2-1 overtime win for FHSU on Monday, with the lone shot on goal being a penalty kick.

The Tigers will look to extend their winning streak this weekend when they host Northwestern Oklahoma State in their home opener on Sunday, September 11. First kick from FHSU Soccer Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.

WACO, Texas – Fort Hays State is receiving votes in the first American Football Coaches Association poll released Monday. The Tigers received 13 votes, up from the six they received in the preseason rankings. Defending national champion Northwest Missouri State is still first. Central Missouri of the MIAA moved up four spots to No. 16. Emporia State dropped out of the top-25 following their home loss the top-ranked Bearcats, but are still receiving votes. Pittsburg State and Central Oklahoma, who were receiving votes in the preseason poll, dropped out completely.

2016 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – September 5, 2016

Dropped Out: Indianapolis (Ind.) (16), Minnesota-Duluth (19), Catawba (N.C.) (22), Emporia State (Kan.) (24)

Others Receiving Votes: Harding (Ark.), 38; Indianapolis (Ind.), 34; West Chester (Pa.), 34; Western Oregon, 30; Delta State (Miss.), 27; Minnesota-Duluth, 25; Emporia State (Kan.), 23; Southwest Minnesota State, 20; Catawba (N.C.), 19; Fort Hays State (Kan.), 13; McKendree (Ill.), 12; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 12; Hillsdale (Mich.), 11; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 9; Michigan Tech, 7; Miles (Ala.), 7; North Carolina-Pembroke, 7; Virginia State, 5; California (Pa.), 2; Arkansas Tech, 1; Bemidji State (Minn.), 1; Notre Dame (Ohio), 1.

FHSU Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The No. 15 ranked Fort Hays State men’s soccer team fell by a score of 2-1 at No. 3 ranked Rockhurst University on Monday (Sept. 5) in a rematch of last year’s NCAA National Quarterfinals. With the loss, FHSU dropped to 0-1-1 on the season while Rockhurst improved to 2-0.

Rockhurst got on the board early at the 7:22 mark when Michael Panarisi got a pass from Derek Schrick and buried it just inside the right post. Kaleb Jackson made it a 2-0 game right before halftime when he found the back of the net for the Hawks 43:42 into the game.

Luis Torres cut the Rockhurst lead in half in the 84th minute. After a Rockhurst foul, Maurizio Costa sent a free kick into the box that Torres was able to head past the keeper. The late surge was not enough as the Hawks were able to hold off the Tigers to claim the victory.

Michael Yantz took the loss in net for the Tigers saving six of the eight shots that he faced.

FHSU looks to bounce back on Thursday when they head to Laredo, Texas to take on Texas A&M-International. The match is set for 7:30 pm.

FHSU Sports Information

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – For the first time in program history the Fort Hays State women’s soccer team starts a season 3-0 after beating Minot State 2-1 in an overtime thriller on Monday.

Minot State took the lead in the first half on a penalty kick after a foul was called in the box. Minot State’s leading scorer Ninfa Ramirez took advantage for her third goal of the season at the 29:46 mark. It was the first goal the Tigers have allowed this season, a stretch that lasted a total of 209 minutes and 34 seconds.

The Tigers kept attacking throughout the second half and with 4:32 remaining Edan Stoddard was able to get her head on a corner kick from Hannah Jurgens that found the back of the net, tying the match at 1-1. It was Stoddard’s team-leading fourth goal of the season. Kelsey Steffens claimed the match for the Tigers when she got her first goal of the season by beating the keeper with a shot from the top of the box 8:55 into overtime.

Abbie Flax picked up the win in goal for FHSU despite not recording a save. She is now 3-0 on the season. The Tiger defense was stifling once again, allowing just five shots the entire match. The only shot on goal was the penalty kick. The Tigers outshot the Beavers 28-5.

The Tigers get five days off before their home opener on Sunday when they welcome Northwestern Oklahoma State to Hays. The match is set for 1 pm.

FHSU Athletics

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – 120 minutes was not enough time to determine a winner in the 2016 season opener for the 15th-ranked Fort Hays State men’s soccer team on Saturday (Sept. 3) as they took Alderson Broaddus to a 1-1 draw. With the draw, the Tigers are now 4-1-1 all time in season openers. After losing to Rockhurst earlier in the week, Alderson Broaddus moves to 0-1-1 on the season.

The Battlers went up 1-0 early when they found the back of the net 15 minutes into the contest. Maurizio Costa leveled the score for the Tigers in the 37th minute by means of a header when he tucked a cross from Dylan Kintner just inside the post. Early in the second half the Tigers had a chance to take the lead on a shot from Mauricio Castorino, but the ball ricocheted off the post and away from the goal. Aside from that neither team was able to gain an advantage for the rest of regulation.

The two overtime periods saw a defensive battle, as there were only three combined shots in the extra twenty minutes. Michael Yantz was big in net for the Tigers with five saves, two coming in overtime.

The Tigers return to action Monday with a rematch of the 2015 NCAA Quarterfinal against the 3rd-ranked Rockhurst Hawks. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.

FHSU Sports Information

GOODWELL, Okla. – The Fort Hays State University volleyball team wrapped up the opening weekend of the 2016 season with a perfect 4-0 record after a pair of victories Saturday. The Tigers opened the day with an outstanding performance against Texas-Permian Basin, handing the Falcons (2-1) their first loss of the season in straight sets. FHSU steamrolled tournament hosts Oklahoma Panhandle State (0-4) in three to cap off a strong opening to the year.

The Tigers were the lone team to go undefeated in the Aggies Challenge, dropping just two sets on the weekend. It was the first time the team opened the season 4-0 since 2012, also at the Aggies Challenge.

FHSU will return to the floor next weekend when it travels to Salt Lake City, Utah for the Fairfield Inn & Suites Volleyball Invitational, hosted by Westminster College. The Tigers will face off with Texas A&M-International and Western New Mexico on Friday (Sept. 9) before a pair of contests with Westminster and Minot State on Saturday.

Fort Hays State 3, Texas-Permian Basin 0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-13)
The Tigers started the day a bit sluggish, but the slow start didn’t last long in a dominating sweep over Texas-Permian Basin. FHSU hit at a .351 clip for the match, highlighted by a .440 attack percentage in the third set, while holding the Falcons to a -.022 hitting percentage overall.

UTPB jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the first set, prompting head coach Kurt Kohler to call an early timeout. After scoring six of the next eight points, the Tigers tied the score at 13 on a block from Rebekah Spainhour and Callie Christensen, never trailing for the remainder of the set. A five-point run with Kailey Klibbe serving extended the lead to 22-15 before Crystal Whitten ended the set on a kill from Hannah Wagy.

Fort Hays State once again rallied from an early deficit in the second set to win, 25-16. The Falcons scored the first five points of the frame, leading the way until FHSU leveled the score at 13 with a solo block from Christensen. The Tigers scored the final eight points of the set with Klibbe serving with Whitten once again delivering the final kill.

Stellar defense complimented the impressive hitting percentage in the 25-13 third set victory, with Ari Jacobsen and Chandler Hillman making several diving saves and Megan Anderson and Whitten combining for two blocks. The Tigers scored seven-straight points in the heart of the game to extend a 15-5 lead. Consecutive kills from Whitten on sets from Wagy brought the match to a close.

Whitten led the way with 14 kills, adding seven digs and three block assists. Anderson hit .500 for the game, tallying six kills and three total blocks. Spainhour turned in seven kills, three blocks and one service ace while Magan Alexander hit .417 with six kills. Wagy assisted on 33 kills, blocking one attempt and contributing four digs on defense. Hillman led the way with nine digs.

Fort Hays State 3, Oklahoma Panhandle State 0 (25-5, 25-9, 25-11)
The Tigers returned to the court Saturday evening with a bang, storming past Oklahoma Panhandle State in straight sets. The Aggies managed just 25 points in the match, the fewest points allowed in a match since Kurt Kohler took over as head coach in 2009. The Tigers hit a blistering .385 for the match, holding OPSU to a -.179 hitting percentage.

Callie Christensen was a perfect six-for-six on swing attempts while adding five total blocks. Crystal Whitten paced the Tigers with eight kills and nine digs in the match, turning in two service aces. Becca Page recorded a team-best four service aces, the most in a match by a Tiger this season, and tallied 8 assists. Sydney Dixon turned in a .556 hitting percentage after totaling five kills and zero attack errors.

OPSU captured the first point of the match on a kill from Rylee Abert, but the Tigers rebounded to score 11 of the next 12 points to take a commanding 11-2 lead. Christensen led the way in the opening set with three kills in a five-point stretch. Abbie Hayes served the team to a 25-5 victory over the final six points, recording one service ace and forcing numerous Aggie mishits.

The Tigers jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the second set with Whitten serving. Dixon picked up four kills in the set, including back-to-back points to extend the lead to 13-2. Page recorded a pair of service aces down the stretch before an Aggie attack error handed the Tigers a 25-9 victory.

It was more of the same in the third set, with Fort Hays State scoring six of the first seven points. Whitten picked up three quick kills to bring the score to 14-8. Megan Anderson and Makaleigh Yantzie combined for a pair of blocks down the stretch before an Aggie service error brought the match to a close.

FHSU Sports Information

MARSHALL, Minn. – Fort Hays State rolled to another 3-0 shutout on Saturday in its match against Upper Iowa. FHSU is out to a 2-0 start to the season after knocking off a pair of NSIC teams in Marshall, Minn.

Eden Stoddard is red-hot to start the season, burying two goals for the Tigers in the first half. In the 11th minute, she received a ball from Darby Hirsch to put the Tigers up 1-0, then added to the lead in the 35th minute on an assist from Hannah Smith. The junior transfer now has three goals in the first two matches.

FHSU put a cap on the shutout in the 85th minute when Vianei Sanchez found the back of the net on a ball from Savannah McClease.

FHSU limited Upper Iowa to just four shots the entire match and just one shot on goal. Abbie Flax picked up her second shutout win on the weekend in goal with the one save. FHSU recorded 16 shots in the match, with nine on goal. Caila Petrie took the loss in goal for UIU.

FHSU travels to Sioux Falls, S.D. on Monday to complete the three-match holiday weekend trip. The Tigers take on Minot State at 11 am in a neutral site match.