EDMOND, Okla. – SWOSU Volleyball nearly pulled off a reverse sweep on Friday, rallying from two sets down to force a fifth against Fort Hays State before ultimately falling to the Tigers in a five-set battle.

Fort Hays opened strong, hitting .483 in a dominant 25-17 first set, then edged out the Bulldogs 28-26 in the second after fending off four SWOSU set points.

Facing a 2-0 deficit, the Bulldogs responded by hitting a match-best .265 in the third set for a 25-17 win. They followed with seven blocks in the fourth frame, holding the Tigers to a negative hitting percentage and securing a 25-19 victory to even the match.

Momentum carried into the decisive fifth set as SWOSU jumped out to a 4-1 lead, forcing an early FHSU timeout. However, the Tigers regrouped, tying the score at 7-7 and controlling the rest of the set to close out the match with a 15-11 win.

Hailey Smith and Paris Patterson shared team-high honors with 15 kills each. Sydnee Winfrey and Katja Blanchat combined for 13 blocks, while Jada Permenter anchored the defense with 23 digs to lead all players. At setter, Cameron Turner dished out 39 assists.

The match concludes non-conference play for the Bulldogs, who now turn their attention to the start of Great American Conference action. SWOSU opens league play on Tuesday, September 23, at home against East Central, with first serve set for 6:00 p.m. in Weatherford.