HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team fell in five sets against Emporia State Saturday afternoon (Oct. 12) inside Gross Memorial Coliseum, 22-25, 25-22, 16-25, 25-17, 9-15. The Tigers are now 9-7 on the year and 1-6 in MIAA play, while the Hornets move to 12-5 overall and 4-3 in league action.
 
Fort Hays State led for much of the first set, going up by as many as three points on multiple occasions, before a 5-0 Hornet run turned a 15-14 Tiger advantage into a 19-15 ESU lead. FHSU closed within one at 23-22 before the visitors scored two in a row to take the set, 25-22.
 
Emporia State quickly went up by three in the second set, but the Tigers battled back to take the lead at 8-7 on a block from Ashlyn Reeves and Caiya Stucky. Stucky and Taytum Lovesee later teamed up for back-to-back blocks, pushing the lead to three before a Hope Duncan service ace put the Tigers up 12-8. FHSU later led by as many as six, 22-16, before ESU closed within two on a service ace. Ella Goodwin wrapped up the 25-22 win with a kill after a successful Tiger challenge.
 
The visitors hit .500 in the third set to pull away convincingly, 25-16, but Fort Hays State punched back with a dominant 25-17 win in the fourth frame. The Tigers took the lead for good at 3-2 and later used a 7-1 run to pad its lead to seven, 15-8. Stucky helped the Tigers reach set point with a kill before Grace Schmedding sealed the win with a 25-17 win.
 
The Tigers were able to keep things close early in the fifth set, trailing by just two midway through the set, 8-6. But the Hornets recorded seven of the last 10 points to steal the match, 15-9.
 
Fort Hays State recorded 12 blocks on the day while posting an attack percentage of .193 (54-25-150). Stucky totaled a career-high nine blocks, including one solo, while adding 43 assists, seven digs and six kills. Lovesee accumulated nine kills and five blocks, while Rains paced the team with 13 kills.
 
The Tigers will hit the road for their next three matches beginning Thursday (Oct. 17) at No. 11 Central Oklahoma beginning at 6 p.m. in Edmond, Okla.