Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Fort Hays State closed out its stay at the NSIC Challenge in Sioux Falls, S.D., with a split on the final day of action.  FHSU dropped a 3-0 match to No. 23 Augustana before knocking off Bemidji State, 3-1, in the finale.  FHSU went 2-2 on the weekend, grabbing two NCAA Central Region victories.
 
The Tigers open MIAA play on Tuesday (Sept. 16) at No. 6 Nebraska-Kearney. Game time is set for 7 p.m., in Kearney, Neb.
 
Fort Hays State 0, No. 23 Augustana (14-25, 20-25, 19-25)
 
Mallory Flagor led all hitters with 12 kills for the match, hitting .222 to bring her season kill total to 105 through seven matches.  Rebekah Spainhour led the team with two blocks, adding eight kills in the match. 
 
Libby Ary and Kristin Conor each had 15 assists, with Ary totaling 10 digs (team high).
 
In the first set, Fort Hays State stayed within striking distance until midway through, when an 8-0 run by Augustana hurt the Tigers. 
 
Down 7-5 in the early going, a quick three-point run for the Vikings prompted an FHSU timeout at 10-5.  FHSU used the reset to climb back and close the gap to two at 14-12 and 15-13. 
 
That was it, however, as the Vikings stretched the lead to 10 (23-13), and took the set 25-15.
 
FHSU again hung tough for much of the second set, trailing by just two nearing set point, but a strong offensive attack from Augustana put the Tigers in a 2-0 deficit for the match.
 
Trailing 6-2, a kill from Haley Corkill kick started a 7-3 run for the Tigers that tied the match, 9-all.  Callie Christensen and Mikalah Hughes combined for a block assist on the tying point, as FHSU took advantage of Augustana errors to remain tied, 11-11, soon after.
 
Though FHSU never led, the Tigers stayed close until late in the set.  After a run by Augustana, FHSU used a quick two-point burst to climb back within one (17-16). 
 
After falling behind four, kills from Hewson and Flagor brought the deficit back to two, 21-19.  Augustana, however, recovered to win the set, 25-20.
 
Tied 3-3 early in the third set, FHSU allowed a 5-1 by the Vikings to fall behind 8-4, and after the lead stretched to seven (17-10), couldn't recover. Facing match point at 24-16, FHSU fought back with a 3-0 run, but couldn't complete the comeback in a 25-19 set loss.
 
Fort Hays State 3, Bemidji State 1 (14-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-21)
 
Flagor continued her hot play to start the year, racking up 18 kills and hitting .459 to lead the Tigers to their sixth win of the season.  Hughes, a freshman, showed matured play in the middle with eight blocks (two solo) and six kills, hitting a team-best .556 with nine total attacks.
 
Keanu Bradley returned to her normal self defensively, leading the squad with 26 digs to go with two service aces. 
 
Spainhour had three service aces, three kills and five blocks (one solo) in the middle.
 
As a team, the squad hit .195, but put up 14 total blocks to combat the 49 to 57 disadvantage in kills.
 
Tied 2-2 early in the first, Fort Hays State gained the advantage on a long rally, but after going up 4-2, allowed a five-point run by BSU, prompting a Tiger timeout. 
 
After the pause, Flagor ended the BSU run with kill, but the Beavers started another soon after, scoring nine unanswered at one point to lead, 17-6.  The Tigers matched BSU with eight points in the rest of the set, but fell, 25-14.
 
Neither team pulled away in the second set, as the frame held seven lead changes and 12 tie scores.  Close throughout, the largest lead for either team in the set was four (25-21 for FHSU).
 
Down 11-9, FHSU regained control with a four-point burst, eventually leading 14-12.  That lead, however, didn't last as the Beavers started a run of five unanswered, putting the score at 17-14. 
 
Trailing by three later in the set (19-16), FHSU used a kill from Corkill to start a 9-1 run that closed the set, giving the Tigers the set, 25-21.  Runs of three and six unanswered made up the overall string of points.
 
Tied 1-1 in match, Fort Hays State started the third set strong by jumping out to a 6-3 lead.  The Tigers never trailed in the set, winning the set with their largest lead of the night, 25-19.
 
Up 9-8, FHSU scored three quick points, including a kill by Hughes and an ace from Bradley to lead, 12-9.  Though the Beavers climbed back to within one, 13-12, FHSU never lost control, stretching the lead to four (17-13) soon after.
 
BSU stayed close and shrunk its deficit to two late in the match, 20-18, but the Tigers closed the set on a 5-1 run with kills from Hughes and Flagor.
 
Looking to close out the match, Fort Hays State found itself trailing, 8-3, and needing a comeback.  Behind 13-7, FHSU started a 7-2 run that shrunk the Beavers' lead to just one, 15-14. 
 
BSU broke the run to regain a two-point lead (16-14), but Mares' kill in the next rally started a new streak of five unanswered, giving FHSU a 19-16 lead in the deciding set.  The Tigers again closed out a set strong, winning match point, 25-21, on a 4-1 run.