RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The South Dakota School of Mines volleyball team is set to start the 2018 season this weekend in Moorhead, Minnesota as the Lady Hardrockers will play four matches in a span of two days at the Microtel and Travelodge Classic hosted by MSU-Moorhead.
SD Mines will start vs. Montana State University Billings on Friday at 9 a.m. (MST) and will be followed by their second game at 5 p.m. (MST) vs. MSUB.
The MSUB volleyball team has an opportunity to take a big step forward in 2018.
Casey Williams enters her third season as head coach after leading a team composed primarily of freshmen last fall. This year the expectations will be raised. Nine of the Yellowjackets' 12 players return with at least one year of varsity experience and Williams sees their potential to be contenders in the challenging Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
The MSUM Dragons list nine true freshman on their roster, and will look to seniors for guidance and leadership in the upcoming season. The roster of 19 will allow for depth at multiple positions, and will give Head coach
Tammy Blake plenty of line-up options as the season gets under way. Blake returns for her 24th season at the helm, making her the longest tenured head coach in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
The following day will feature the Hardrockers as they square up against University of Mary (N.D.) at 8:30 a.m. (MST) and Minot State University at 1:30 p.m. (MST).
The Minot Beavers finished the 2017 season with a record of 5-24, and return five starters and their libero from last year's team. Shelby Spuller, a junior outside hitter, was named as an NSIC preseason player to watch after leading the Beavers with 302 kills and 3.1 kills per set in her sophomore campaign. The Beavers return both middle blockers, juniors Emily Falldorf and Hayley Swain, who combined for 136 blocks last season. Senior setter Kelsey Dewulf returns to quarterback the offense after providing 826 assists last season.
The Mary Marauders finished the 2017 season with a record of 8-21, and will be boasting a youthful roster which features 10 underclassmen. Providing leadership for the Marauders will be the lone senior Geovana Almeida who led the team with 319 digs last season. Morgan Schnabel, a sophomore outside hitter, was named as an NSIC preseason player to watch after a freshman campaign which featured 1.86 kills per set. Adding balance to the offense will be sophomore middle blocker Madison Bergthold who was second on the team last season with .55 blocks per set, and sophomore outside hitter Natalia Cruz who posted 2.07 kills per set and 2.31 digs per set in 2017.
The Hardrockers finished off the 2017 season with a 3-25 record. They are hoping to change their record this year with the addition of new head coach
Lauren Torvi and assistant coach
Savannah Cox.
Coach Torvi comes to Rapid City after a successful 2017 season at University of Minnesota Morris where she led her team to a 26-8 record. The Lady 'Rockers have returned the majority of their players from last season, as well as added two freshman (
Shyann Bastian and
Dana Thomson) to this year's squad.
Hardrocker senior middle blocker
Anna Breidt provided 189 kills and 55 blocks in her junior season.
Caryn Hazard returns as an outsider hitter who provided 138 kills last season. Setters
Emma Eckel and
Allie Boggs return after providing 483 and 285 assists respectively.
"We are very excited to take all of the learning we've done over the past three weeks and put it to work," Torvi said. "This team has worked hard on staying task oriented and also building very firm relationships. This will be tough competition but I am confident this team is ready to compete at a high level, especially together. We know the process is always occurring and we will just have to put our faith in the process right now."
The team will make its first two appearances at home on Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. vs. Dixie State and, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. vs Westminster College (Utah). All home games will be played at the King Center on the South Dakota School of Mines campus.
