Chadron, Neb. --- The South Dakota Mines Volleyball team was in game two of a back-to-back in Chadron, taking on Chadron State College on Saturday Night. After losing three straight to start the conference schedule this was a get right game for South Dakota Mines, and get right they did.

The first set was a dominant one in favor of the Hardrockers. After starting the set down 3-1, South Dakota Mines turned it on, scoring five straight points to get out to a 6-3 lead. Another four straight points, keyed by a pair of kills by Sydney Crites gave the Hardrockers a 10-4 lead. The Eagles would cut the lead to 16-10 before the Hardrockers would take off, scoring 9 straight to end the set 25-10.

Chadron State would bounce back in the second set, taking an 11-6 lead. The Hardrockers battled back, cutting the deficit to 12-10, and eventually tied it at 14 after a pair of kills from Emma Grimm, and Lily Bartling. With the score locked at 16, Chadron State scored five straight points, on their way to taking the second set, 25-19.

After taking a break from their dominance in the second set, the Hardrockers would get back to it in the third, getting out to an early 3-1 lead, then scoring 7 in a row to expand the lead to 10-2. Chadron State tried to battle back but the closest they would come is trailing 18-12, before the Hardrockers would score four in a row, before eventually winning the set 25-14 after a pair of kills by Dejah Behrend.

South Dakota Mines would keep the momentum going in the fourth set, taking an early 3-0 lead, then scoring four in a row, taking a 9-2 lead. Chadron State would cut the lead to 15-12, before the Hardrockers would take over again, scoring 10 of the last 13 points, winning the set 25-15, and the match 3-1.

Leaders
Dejah Behrend and Sydney Crites led the Hardrockers with 12 kills each….Behrend recorded an attacking percentage of .500….Kiley Metzger led the team in assists with 16….Kassie Luce played for the first time this season and recorded 12 assists….Emma Grimm and Addie Stanley each broke 20 digs, with Grimm recording 23, and 20 for Stanley….Dejah Behrend and Lily Bartling led the defense with 6, and 5 blocks.

Looking Ahead
The volleyball team comes back home and plays a match on Tuesday evening when it takes on Black Hills State at 7:00 p.m.

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.