LADY HORNETS GRIND OUT 73-70 WIN OVER FORT HAYS STATE

December 9, 2017-In a game that saw eight ties, 12 lead changes and had both teams take and lose ten point leads, the Lady Hornets came out on top in a 73-70 win over Ft. Hays State on Saturday afternoon in White Auditorium.
 
The first quarter was fairly even with Emporia State taking the biggest lead of the period with 5:14 left on a jumper in the paint by Emily Miller to give the Lady Hornets a 14-9 lead.  Emporia State would hit just one more bucket the rest of the period as Ft. Hays State ended the period on a 10-2 run to take a 19-16 lead.
 
The Tigers scored the first seven points of the second period to extend the run to 17-2 and took a 26-16 lead with 8:23 left in the half.  Tyra Jones broke the run with an old fashioned three-point play at the 7:28 mark.  That would ignite an 11-2 run by the Lady Hornets and another layup by Jones pulled the Lady Hornets within one at 28-27 with 4:21 left in the half.  Madison Ralston scored inside with 1:08 left for Emporia State as the teams went to the locker rooms tied at 30.
 
Three different Lady Hornets scored in the first 1:32 of the second half to give Emporia State a 36-30 lead with 8:28 left.  A Taylor Rolfs three-pointer pulled the Tigers within 41-37 with 3:55 left in the third.  The Lady Hornets would hit six straight from the free throw line to take a 47-37 lead with 2:36 left.  Kalli Martin hit a pair of free throws with five seconds left in the quarter to give Emporia State their biggest lead at 55-44 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
A jumper by Emily Miller gave the Lady Hornets a nine point lead with 7:17 left when the Tigers went on a 12-2 run to retake the lead at 63-62 with 4:48 left. With the shot clock running down, Morgan Laudan hit a jumper to give Emporia State a 64-63 with 4:18 remaining.  Kacey Kennett hit her only three-pointer of the game with 3:16 left to give the Tigers a 67-66 advantage.  Jones answered inside with 2:55 remaining to put the Lady Hornets up 68-67.  Emily Miller hit a three from the top of the key with 1:07 left to give Emporia State a two possession lead at 71-67.  Tatyana Legette hit a jumper with 47 seconds left to pull FHSU within two at 71-69.  Jones connected on one of two free throws with 31 seconds left to put Emporia State up 72-69.  Legette made one of two from the line with 25 seconds left to pull the Tigers within two.  Ft. Hays State had only been called for two fouls in the quarter so they had to foul three times before the Lady Hornets were sent to the line.  Jacee Kramer hit one of two free throws with 6.9 seconds left to put Emporia State up by three.  Rolfs had a chance at a three pointer as time expired but it was off and Jacee Kramer was able to grab the rebound to secure the Lady Hornets 24^th straight win in White Auditorium.
 
Tyra Jones led all scorers with 25 points on nine of 11 shooting from the field and seven of nine from the stripe.  She is shooting .872 (34 of 39) from the field in White Auditorium this season.  She was joined in double figures by 17 points as all ten Lady Hornets who played scored.
 
Emporia State will take time for finals week before heading to Jefferson City, Mo. on Saturday, December 16 to take on Lincoln.  Tip-off from Jason Gymnasium is set for 1:30 p.m.