HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team came up just short in its home opener Friday (Sept. 22), falling to Emporia State in four sets (23-25, 25-16, 13-25, 23-25). The Tigers dip to 8-7 this season, while the Hornets are now 8-5 overall. It was the first MIAA match for both schools.
 
The match was a block party, with Emporia State picking up 14 team blocks and Fort Hays State adding 13 more. The Hornets led the way with a .212 hitting percentage as a team while limiting the Tigers to a .149 swing rate. The Tigers held a slight edge in service aces, 3-2, thanks to a pair of aces from freshman Tatum Bartels.
 
Three Tigers reached double figures in kills, led by Kylie Rollman's 12 kills and 10 each from Callie Christensen and Magan Alexander. Taylor White picked up a team-high 19 digs to go along with three assists, with Abbie Hayes also chipping in 10 digs. Amirah Bentley tossed up 39 assists on the night, averaging nearly 10 per set. Christensen recorded a match-high six blocks, including matching her career high with three solo blocks. Bartels added five block assists, with Bentley and Alexander each contributing four total blocks.
 
The opening set was a back-and-forth affair, with the teams tying the score eight times and the lead changing hands twice. ESU captured the first two points before the Tigers went on a 7-0 run with Bartels serving, forcing the Hornets to burn an early timeout. Fort Hays State managed to hold on to the lead for much of the frame, fighting off multiple ESU runs. The Hornets used a 4-1 spurt to tie things up at 22, but a kill from Sydney Dixon kept the Tigers on top. Emporia State proceeded to capture the next three points, stealing the opening set 25-23.
 
The lead changed hands several times in the early-going of the second set, but Fort Hays State utilized an 8-1 barrage to take a commanding 14-9 lead. The Tigers maintained the lead for the remainder of the set, going on to win 25-16. The Hornets crept back as close as three, 15-12, but a 5-1 run capped off by a service ace from Azlyn Cassaday put the Tigers in front by seven, 20-13. A strong kill from Bartels later in the set tied the match as the teams headed for the locker room.
 
Emporia State came out on fire in the third set, compiling a .483 attack percentage in the frame to win with ease, 25-13. The Tigers could not seem to find a gap in the ESU defense, with the Hornets blocking four swings in the set.
 
The Tigers rallied to keep things close once again in the fourth set, but a late Hornet run prevented FHSU from sending the match to a deciding fifth set. The visitors jumped out to an early lead before five-straight points from the Tigers, highlighted by back-to-back block assists from Alexander and Bartels, put FHSU in front 9-5. The teams then traded points until a 5-1 Hornet run put them back in front 18-16, prompting a timeout from Brandi Fairbank. FHSU put a momentary stop to Emporia State's momentum, but the Hornets added the next four points to stretch their advantage to 22-17. The Tigers responded with a valiant fight, capturing six of the next seven points to tie things up at 23. Christensen had two big kills and a block assist in the run before Dixon tied the score with a powerful swing. Fort Hays State had chances to take the next two points, but the Hornets picked up digs at opportune times to prevent the Tigers from completing the comeback.
 
Fort Hays State will continue its three-match homestand Saturday (Sept. 23) when No. 25 Washburn comes to town for a 6:30 p.m. contest. Tiger fans with a ticket to the football game against Northeastern State will receive free admission to the volleyball match.