EMPORIA, Kan. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team fell in four sets against Emporia State Friday evening (Nov. 8), 22-25, 25-21, 27-29, 19-25. The Tigers are now 12-10 on the year and 4-9 in conference play, while the Hornets improve to 16-7 overall and 8-5 in league action.
 
Neither side could gain much control all evening, with the match featuring 15 lead changes and 38 ties. The Tigers led by as many as six early in the first set, 12-6, before a 9-2 Hornet run put ESU on top. FHSU had the score tied as late as 18-18, but Emporia State had enough firepower down the stretch to secure a 25-22 win.
 
The second set was even closer, with neither side leading by more than two points until very late when FHSU scored three in a row to turn a 20-20 tie into a 23-20 advantage. The Hornets called a timeout to break up the momentum, but a Gracie Rains kill and an ESU error soon gave the Tigers a 25-21 win.
 
Fort Hays State maintained a small lead early in the fourth set, going up by as many as three, 12-9, before a 6-1 ESU run put the Hornets up by two. Kills from Claire Olson and Grace Schmedding helped FHSU tie the score before an ESU error put the Tigers back on top. The back-and-forth affair continued with ESU gaining the momentum to go up 21-19 before a Rains kill and an Olson service ace leveled the score once again. The score would be tied five more times in the set, with FHSU fighting off three ESU set-point opportunities and the Hornets avoiding one such chance from the Tigers. Back-to-back kills from ESU's Camilla Ossola ultimately handed the home team a 29-27 win.
 
Emporia State scored 10 of the first 15 points in the fourth set, a lead that proved to be insurmountable. FHSU was able to close within two on two separate occasions, but the Hornets pulled away down the stretch to seal the match with a 25-19 win.
 
FHSU hit .255 for the match (59-18-161), including 18 kills from Rains and 14 from Olson. Kirsten Evans totaled 19 digs, helping the Tigers to a 71-70 advantage in that category. Caiya Stucky distributed 48 assists while adding eight digs, one block, one service ace and two kills. Carsyn Cormaney led the team with three blocks and added three kills.
 
The home team posted a swing rate of .286 (74-21-185). Weronika Wrzesinska led the match with 22 kills.
 
The Tigers will wrap up the weekend Saturday (Nov. 9) when they take on Washburn beginning at 6 p.m. from Topeka, Kan.