Box Score Chadron, Neb. --- The South Dakota Mines volleyball team earned their way into the RMAC playoffs with a win over the Eagles of Chadron State University on Friday night. The match went five sets securing the Hardrockers second berth in the playoffs but the first opportunity to play as the first came during the Covid-19 season. The win brings the Hardrockers record to 11-14 overall and 8-9 in conference.
 
How it Happened – The Eagles jumped out to an early lead of 7-0 and never looked back as they won 25-20.
 
The Hardrockers came out hot in the second set, starting it up 6-2 after a pair of kills by Lily Bartling. South Dakota Mines would continue to play well, going up 9-3 and then 20-10 after back-to-back Paisley Gibson kills. Gibson would get another kill to help close out the set 25-15.
 
In the third set Chadron both teams battled for the lead until the Eagles went ahead 15-9 and never looked back winning the set 25-17.
 
In the fourth set, the Eagles started with all the momentum, going up 5-0, but the Hardrockers would come storming back, taking a 10-8 lead after a block and back-to-back kills by Dejah Behrend. Kills by Morgan Daugherty, Bartling, and Jacey Koethe contributed to a 4-0 run, giving the Hardrockers a 17-13 lead, one they would never give up, winning the set 25-18 with three straight points to end it.
 
In the fifth set the Hardrockers showed no mercy jumping out of the gate leading, 3-0, then 7-2 after three consecutive kills from Koethe. They never looked back, scoring three straight to end it, winning the fifth set 15-8 to win the match 3-2.
 
Notes – Four Hardrockers ended the night in double digits in kills for the night… Paisley Gibson and Jacey Koethe led the way with 17 kills each, Lily Bartling added 12 and Dejah Behrend had 10 in the win... Kiley Metzger was again on top of her game with 51 assists… Ava Brunn had four aces and Hannah Benes ended the night with three. Behrend was a wall on the net with six total blocks in the win.
 
Up Next – The Hardrockers will face off against the #22 ranked Orediggers of Colorado School of Mines Saturday at 5:00 PM.