Tigers split home volleyball matches

Fort Scott High's volleyball team broke a 19-match losing streak to start the day off Thursday but fell to Southeast Kansas League leader and rival Pittsburg in the final match of a triangular at the FSHS gymnasium Thursday.

The Tigers, who were 3-3 when the streak began, got their first SEK win of the year by beating Columbus in three games, 25-21, 17-25, 25-17. Pittsburg beat Columbus in the middle match, 25-16, 25-12, and downed the Tigers in the finale, 25-18, 25-10.

Pittsburg leads the SEK at 6-0 and is 19-6 overall. Iola and Labette County are tied for second at 5-1 after each beat Coffeyville and then Iola beat LCHS at Iola. Chanute is fourth at 4-2 after sweeping Parsons and Independence.

The final round of SEK play next Thursday has Chanute and Iola both at Fort Scott and Pittsburg at Labette County along with Parsons.

Details from the Columbus match are not available (the Tribune arrived in time to see the very end of the match after the FSHS soccer match was done). It was the Tigers' second win over the Titans, 0-6, 4-18, this season, having defeated Columbus in two games in the season-opening, non-league quadrangular at Girard.

Fort Scott held a 3-1 lead in the first game of the Pittsburg match and also held leads of 7-5, 11-9 and 12-10. But the Purple Dragons used a 5-0 to take the lead for good.

The Tigers got back within 20-18 when Crystal Colvin served an ace. But Pittsburg won the ball back to begin a 5-0 run that finished that game.

The Dragons jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the second game. The Tigers never scored consecutive points in the game. The only point they scored when they had serve was the very first point of the game.

Annie Gladbach had four kills in the match while Ashley Middleton had three. Brittany Bingesser dished 10 assists.

The Tigers are off until next Thursday. Play that day begins at 5 at the FSHS gymnasium.

JUNIOR VARSITY -- The Tiger JV also split Thursday, beating Columbus, 25-23, 22-25, 25-16, and losing to Pittsburg, 25-17, 25-16.

Fort Scott's JV will be in the Blue Valley North Tournament Saturday. Play begins at 9 a.m. Their season finale will be Thursday at the FSHS gym against Chanute and Iola.