RAPID CITY, S.D. --- This is a week of digging deep for the South Dakota School of Mines women's volleyball team as the Hardrockers take to the road after two hard fought losses against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponents last week at Goodell Gymnasium.
SD Mines faced Colorado Christian last Friday and then had a showdown with the highly regarded (then ranked No. 23
rd) Colorado Mines team. The 'Rockers were unable to get the result they were striving for, dropping both outings in straight sets. But the group were extremely competitive and challenged two very good programs.
"The ladies are getting better each game," said Hardrocker women's volleyball head coach
Jenni Bolduc. "The wins and losses might not show it, but the statistical categories do."
Last season was a difficult one for the Lady Rockers' as they had only won 16 sets in the season. This year is a different story when it comes to competing. SD Mines has won 12 sets through 15 games with half of the season still remaining.
This road trip will see the Hardrockers play three opponents in two days. SD Mines travels to Denver to take on Johnson and Wales Friday in a non-conference match (12 p.m.). Then with a quick turnaround, head over to Regis University for a 7 p.m. RMAC bout against the Lady Rangers. The 'Rockers will close out the road trip Saturday in Nebraska challenging Chadron State College in a 6 p.m. showdown.
Statistical leaders for the Lady 'Rockers are plentiful. Four players are scoring over 100 points:
Mikkella Reese (144.5),
Emily Newton (125),
Caryn Hazard (106.5), and
Anna Breidt (101); the same four are leading the way in ills this season as well.
Mikkella Reese (120),
Caryn Hazard (99),
Emily Newton (95) and
Anna Breidt (85).
Defensively for the Rockers, leading the team in digs:
Alye Wagner (184),
Mikkella Reese (145),
Allie Brown (117),
Emma Eckel (81), and
Tana Dahlberg (80); paving the way with blocks are:
Emily Newton (39),
Anna Breidt (32),
Emma Eckel (20), and
Justine Langus (18).
Johnson and Wales are 2-18 on the season heading into Friday's match up and the Wildcats haven't played a set in two weeks. Middle blockers Katie Malachinski leads the team with 148 kills while right side hitter Erynn Keeney has 140 so far this season. Setter Ashlee Ruehs is responsible for 420 of JWU's 488 assists.
Regis University (ranked 10
th in the nation) is having quite a bit of success this season with a 14-2 overall record and 6-0 mark in the RMAC. The Rangers just had their nine-match win streak snapped Tuesday night at the hands of the University of Kearney-Nebraska. Kelsey Green is the top point-getter for Regis, averaging 3.30 per set (201 total and teammate Caitlyn Burroway is also productive at the net with 167 kills on the season (2.74 per set).
Chadron State heads into the weekend with a 4-10 mark on the year and 1-5 in the conference after dropping their last three matches. The Eagles have some weapons with Dominika Senkenrikova leading the charge with a team high 136 kills this season on offence and Emily Bruce paving the way on defense with 209 digs on the year, averaging 4.10 a set.
Around the RMAC
Regis and No. 22 Colorado School of Mines continue their dominance in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) as both teams improved to 6-0 in RMAC play over the weekend.
Regis opened their week early traveling to Chadron, Nebraska on Tuesday for their matchup against the Eagles.
The Rangers rallied after dropping the first and won the next three to pull out a 3-1 victory agains the Eagles. Kelsey Green provided her best game of the season with 19 kills and three blocks, totaling 21.5 of the Ranger's 74 points. Nikki Kennedy also tallied her first double-double of the year with ten kills and ten blocks.
Regis finished the week in Salt Lake City, Utah with a matchup against Westminster. The Rangers won their ninth-straight with their three-set sweep of the Griffins. The Rangers improved to 14-1 on the season.
Colorado School of Mines earned a weekend sweep after two dominating performances this weekend, improving to 12-3 overall.
MSU Denver took to the road this weekend, traveling to Las Vegas, New Mexico and Pueblo, Colorado.
The Roadrunners opened up their weekend against New Mexico Highlands. The Roadrunners dropped the second game, but rallied back to win the next two sealing a 3-1 win against the Cowboys.
MSU Denver visited the ThunderWolves to finish out the weekend. The Roadrunners commanded the matchup and defeated CSU-Pueblo in straight sets (25-15, 25-10, 25-13). The Roadrunners' wins improved them to 5-1 in conference play.
UCCS improved its earned their third and fourth straight sweeps on the road, improving to 5-1 in conference play.
UCCS began their weekend in Pueblo, Colorado against the ThunderWolves. The Mountain Lions defeated the Pack in straight sets, earning their third straight sweep 25-16, 25-21, 25-20).
UCCS finished their weekend in Las Vegas, New Mexico against the Cowboys. The Mountain Lions continued their dominance to finish the weekend with their fourth straight sweep (26-24, 25-21, 25-18).
Colorado Christian took to the road for tilts in Rapid City and Spearfish, South Dakota, improving to an overall 5-1 in RMAC play.
The Cougars started their weekend strong with a decisive win against South Dakota Mines. Colorado Christian won the contest in straight sets (25-18, 25-11, 25-22).
Colorado Christian finished the weekend against the Yellow Jackets. The Cougars pulled out the win after a fire-set thriller (25-19, 22-25, 24-26, 25-23, 15-13).
Colorado Mesa hosted Adams State and Fort Lewis over the weekend.
The Mavericks earned a close five-set win (25-13, 25-18, 23-25, 21-25, 15-10) preventing a late Grizzly comeback. Colorado Mesa's MacKenzie Edwards hit for a then career-high 28 kills in the match.
Fort Lewis rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Mavericks in a five-set thriller (19-25, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-12). Colorado Mesa's MacKenzie Edwards recorded a career-high 33 kills. The Skyhawks improved to 3-3 and the Mavericks dropped to 4-2 in conference play.
Western hosted Adams State and Fort Lewis over the weekend. The Mountaineers fell in straight sets in both matchups.
Westminster hosted Chadron State in their first match of the weekend. Westminster dropped the first two sets, but rallied back to win the last three and edge out the Eagles in the five-set match.
RMAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week
MacKenzie Edwards
Edwards put down an impressive 61 kills over the weekend while hitting at a .333 clip. She also had 26 digs. On Friday, Edwards set a then career-high with 28 kills on a .357 hitting effort. On Saturday, she finished with 33 kills, just one shy of the school-record for kills in a match, and the most of any Maverick since 2004. She recorded her sixth double-double of the season on Saturday, as well.
RMAC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week
Nikki Kennedy
Kennedy helped Regis remain perfect in RMAC play this week, totaling 15 blocks in six sets. The sophomore middle tallied a season-high ten blocks in Tuesday's win at Chadron. Five of Kennedy's 15 blocks were solo.
RMAC Volleyball Setter of the Week
Marina Hansen
Hansen averaged 12.6 assists/set to lead No. 22 Colorado School of Mines to a pair of 3-0 victories. Hansen also had five aces in six sets and added 2.0 digs/set. She had 44 assists against Black Hills State, adding eight digs, then put up 32 with four digs at South Dakota Mines.
About the RMAC:
The RMAC is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15-member schools, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 2018-19 Dixie State University will join the RMAC as the 16th member institution. The RMAC sponsors 23 varsity NCAA sports and has produced 59 NCAA Division II national champions and 48 national runners-up since 1992.
