Hays, Kan. – The Missouri Southern volleyball team had a career-night from Kierson Maydew but the Lions fell three sets to one at Fort Hays State.
 
Individual set scores were 19-25, 19-25, 25-23 and 17-25.
 
Southern (13-16, 8-12 MIAA) finishes 8^th in the final MIAA regular-season standings. The Lions will face off with regular-season champion Northwest Missouri at 5 pm on Thursday, November 10 in the opening round of the MIAA Tournament. Matches will be played at the St. Joseph Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
Maydew had a career-high 14 kills as she added seven blocks, as well. Fernanda Canedo just missed a double-double as she finished with nine kills and 12 digs. Sophie Mader had a double-double with 27 assists and 11 digs, while Irina Alekseeva had nine kills and four blocks. Abbie Casper had a match-high 23 digs.
 
FHSU (11-17, 6-14 MIAA) was led by Morgan Christansen and Emily Ellis, both finishing with 14 kills each.
 
The Tigers led from start to finish in the opening set, while set two featured four ties and three lead changes. Southern led 8-2 in the second set, but the Tigers eventually tied the set at 15, 16, 17 and 18, before scoring seven of the final eight points to take a 2-0 lead.
 
A kill from Mader gave the Lions a 14-8 lead in set three and Southern led 18-15 late. Hays got within a point at 21-20, but the Lions got a kill from Josey Goldberg to take set three.
 
Set four saw the Tigers lead 9-4 early and 14-9 midway through en route to clinching the match.
 
Southern will take on 10^th ranked Northwest Missouri on Thursday night at 5 pm in the opening round of the MIAA Tournament.