Box Score RAPID CITY, S.D. --- After winning the first set in convincing fashion Friday, the South Dakota School of Mines couldn't seem to find the answer for a Fort Lewis College opponent that could do no wrong as the Skyhawks rattled off the next three wins and tilted the Hardrockers, 3-1, at the King Center in Rapid City.
 
"It's a tough loss," said SD Mines women's volleyball head coach Doug Tabbert. " We did so many things well in the first set. We took away a lot of what they want to do offensively and we were pretty decent with our own offense. We also had the advantage in the serving-passing game."
 
It was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener for both the Hardrockers and Skyhawks. Fort Lewis College defeated SD Mines 23-25, 25-12, 25-18, 25-15.
 
"Unfortunately we let a lot of things turn in the second set," Tabbert said. "They played better and we didn't up our level to respond to the challenge. They got some confidence and for the rest of the match they put more pressure on us with their serving game and their offensive game than we did with ours to them. That turned the match."
 
SD Mines finished with 42 kills in the match and was 126-157 on the attack to go along with 40 assists, 70 digs and 8 blocks. The Skyhawks went 129-134 on the attack and notched 44 kills while collecting 39 assists, 71 digs and nine blocks.
 
Hardrocker junior Emily Newton and freshman Caryn Hazard paced their team with 10 kills each. Newton was 20-23 on the attack while Hazard posted 32-42 on the attack. Freshman Allie Boggs tallied 20 assists in the match while sophomore Elizabeth Jensen put up 15. Freshman Makinze Maiden led the Hardrockers with 16 digs and sophomore Darla Dreckhahn added 13.
 
The loss drops SD Mines to 1-9 on the season and 0-1 in the RMAC. The Lady Hardrockers are back in action Saturday afternoon taking on Adams State University in a 3 p.m. match.