Colorado Springs, Colo. --- The Hardrocker defense was playing well all night, getting blocks and forcing errors on its' way to a sweep over UCCS.

The first set started with the two teams battling back and forth. The Hardrockers would take the first surge of momentum, scoring four points in a row to take a 7-5 lead before the two teams would continue to trade points. Another four-point run keyed by Shyann Bastian getting two kills forced the Mountain Lions into a timeout with the Hardrockers leading 11-7. UCCS would battle back to tie it up once again. Late in the set, South Dakota Mines would take over, scoring 7 of 9 points which would allow the Hardrockers to eventually take the first set 25-20.

The Hardrockers continued to dominate defensively in the second set, getting a solo block from Lily Bartling and affecting the Mountain Lion offense, continuing to force them into errors. South Dakota Mines started the set with an 8-4 lead. UCCS would battle back, tying the set, before the Hardrocker defense would force another pair of errors and get a kill from Jacey Koethe to retake the lead. Later in the set, the Hardrockers would take control, scoring 5 of 6 points, to eventually take the set 25-19 and get a 2-0 lead.

Once again in the third set, the Hardrockers started strong, taking a 7-4 lead before UCCS would battle back, taking an 8-7 lead. The two teams would continue to battle after that until three of four points went to South Dakota Mines thanks to forced errors, taking a 17-14 lead. Following that, an ace by Anna Thomas would force UCCS to take a timeout with the Hardrockers holding onto an 18-14 lead. Out of the timeout, the Hardrockers would maintain a narrow lead, going up 21-18 after kills by Jacey Koethe and Victoria Zagorski. Another kill moments later by Kiley Metzger gave the Hardrockers a 22-19 lead. A Sydney Crites kill gave the Hardrockers a 24-21 lead, forcing a timeout from UCCS at match point. A kill by Dejah Behrend would earn the Hardrockers the set and the sweep, taking it 25-22, and 3-0.

Looking Ahead
The Hardrocker volleyball team wraps up its' season with a pair of home games at 5:00 next weekend. On Friday, Nov. 12 the Hardrockers welcome Chadron State and on Saturday, Nov. 13 Colorado School of Mines come into town for a matchup on senior night.

About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 11 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.