Tigers beat Columbus, Pittsburg

Fort Scott's Brittany Bingesser (25) and Ashley Middleton (30) dive for a ball near the sideline during a match with Columbus in the season-opening quadrangular Saurday morning at the FSHS gymnasium. The Tigers beat Columbus in two games, lost to Girard in two and beat defending league champion Pittsburg in three. (Tribune photo/Scott Nuzum).

Fort Scott High School's volleyball team showed that it's ready to more than just compete in a home quadrangular at the FSHS gymnasium Saturday.

The Tigers beat Columbus and defending Southeast Kan-sas League champion Pittsburg. The Columbus scores were 25-22, 28-26. Fort Scott beat Pittsburg 11-25, 25-23, 29-27.

The Tigers lost to Girard, a Class 4A State Tournament qualifier last season, 25-18, 25-12. The Trojans, who beat Pittsburg in last year's Sub-State final to get to State, swept the quad also beating Pittsburg 25-20, 17-25, 25-23 and Columbus 25-14, 25-12.

Pittsburg was 1-2 on the day with its lone win coming over Columbus, 25-14, 25-12.

The Tigers rallied from deficits to beat Columbus in both games of their opening match. They trailed 24-23 and 26-25. Annie Gladbach's kill tied the score at 26-26 and gave Fort Scott the serve. The Tigers forced Columbus errors for the final two points of the match.

The Tigers found themselves in big holes early against Girard and the Trojans showed that they won't be easy to beat again this season as they expanded on an 8-4 lead in the first game and a 9-4 lead in the second.

The Tigers also showed that when the pressure's on, they can respond as they recorded all four of the game victories by three points or less.

Unlike previous years when Fort Scott would have a two-week break before its next varsity match, the Tigers will be right back on the court Tuesday with a triangular at Pittsburg Colgan. Chanute will also be at the meet, which will begin at 5:30 p.m.