HAYS, Kan. - Despite capturing the first six points of the match, the Fort Hays State volleyball team fell in straight sets against Missouri Western Friday evening (Oct. 6) inside Gross Memorial Coliseum (22-25, 14-25, 21-25). The Tigers dip to 9-11 overall and 1-5 in MIAA play, while the Griffons are now 11-8 this season and 5-1 in league action.
 
Tatum Bartels had a strong night for the Tigers, picking up nine kills compared to just one error to accumulate a .471 hitting percentage while adding three service aces and two digs. Sydney Dixon picked up a double-double, chipping in 10 kills and 10 digs. Taylor White led the team with 16 digs, with Kailey Klibbe also reaching double figures (12). The Griffons outhit FHSU in the match, .242-.149.
 
Fort Hays State dominated out of the gate, quickly going in front 6-0. Bartels opened the match with a kill before the Tigers recorded blocks to win the next two points. An ace from Bartels followed up a kill from Kylie Rollman, putting FHSU ahead by five. A Griffon error made the score 6-0 before MWSU finally got on the board with a kill. The Tigers held onto a sizeable lead for much of the set, leading by at least three until the Griffons cut it to 15-13. Another Bartels ace helped the Tigers stretch the lead back to four, 18-14, but the visitors responded with a 5-1 run to tie things up at 19. The teams traded the next four points before MWSU finished things off by taking four of the last five points, winning the opening set 25-22. FHSU outhit the Griffons in the opening frame, .170-.133, but it was not enough.
 
The Tigers struggled in the second set, compiling a .081 attack percentage while the Griffons countered with a .312 swing rate. The teams traded points to open the frame, with FHSU leading 5-4 early in the set. Missouri Western then put together a 12-2 run to all of a sudden lead by nine, 16-7. The Tigers scored three-straight late in the set to make the score 21-13, but it was too little, too late as MWSU went on to win the frame 25-14.
 
Bartels helped the Tigers quickly jump out in front 2-0 in the third set, opening the frame with a kill and a service ace. The Tigers later led 5-3 before MWSU rattled off seven-straight points to steal the lead, 10-5. The Griffons led by as many as eight, 18-10, but Fort Hays State would not go down quietly. The Tigers scored eight of the next 10 points, including six-straight, to tie things up at 20. Dixon recorded three kills in the game-tying run. But the run would be cut short, with MWSU bouncing back to score five of the final six points after using a timeout to complete the sweep, 25-21.
 
Fort Hays State will return to the court Saturday (Oct. 7) when Northwest Missouri State makes the trip to Hays. First serve is set for 2 p.m.