HAYS, Kansas — Midwestern State opened the 2026 season on the road at the Fort Hays State Tiger Classic on Friday and split a pair of three-set matches, defeating Truman of the GLVC before losing to the hosts from the MIAA.
MIDWESTERN STATE 3, TRUMAN 0
Midwestern State won its first match of the season in straight sets.
In a nip-and-tuck first set, Truman won five of six points to take a 19-15 lead, but TaNia Penn, Nylah Lewis and Isabell Dickens spurred a run by the Mustangs, who pulled even at 23-23. MSU was forced to fend off one set point and claimed four of the final five points to take the set, 27-25.. Remi Madison had two of her match-high 15 kills at the end of the opening set to give the Mustangs the early advantage.
Midwestern State hit .371 in the second set and used a five-point run to take an early 10-5 lead. The Mustangs then reeled off six straight points to take a 21-15 lead. Dickens closed the set with her fifth kill of the set, and the senior middle hitter finished the match with 14 kills for the Mustangs.
Despite an early 4-0 deficit early in the third set, Midwestern State rallied for a 25-18 victory, winning 15 of the final 23 points.
Midwestern State hit .305 for the match and served seven aces. Lewis finished with 13 kills in the victory, and Macy Scheer had 27 assists in her MSU debut.. Maxime Pheasant added 21 assists. MSU finished with 55 digs in the victory, led by Jenna Redding's 12. Pheasant and Giselle Cazares each had 10 digs.
FORT HAYS STATE 3, MIDWESTERN STATE 0
Fort Hays State hit .442 in a straight-set victory over the Mustangs. The Tigers were led by Ella Goodwin, who hit .579 with 13 kills on 19 attacks. Ashlyn Reeves and Mylie Brown each finished with 11 kills. Reeves hit .500, and Brown hit .478 in the victory.
The Tigers raced out to a 10-2 lead in the opening set and coasted to a 25-12 victory. After hitting .429 in the first set, Fort Hays was even more impressive in the second set, hitting .559 on its way to a 25-15 victory.
Midwestern State stayed close to the Tigers early in the third set, but Fort Hays State won the last six points to complete the sweep with a 25-17 triumph in the final set.
Jaiden Wright led the Mustangs with 10 kills and hit .320 for the match. Midwestern State hit .215 as a team. Pheasant led the team with 15 assists, and Scheer had 12 assists for the Stangs, who finished the match with 36 digs. Redding led the team with nine digs, while Madison and Cazares each had eight digs.
The Mustangs close out the FHSU Tiger Classic on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. as they face Regis before traveling to Colorado Springs next week for four matches in the Mountain Lions Classic. MSU hosts Bethany in the home opener on Sept. 8 at 6 p.m.
