Rapid City, S.D. --- The South Dakota Mines and the #19 ranked Colorado Mines volleyball teams squared off in RMAC competition Friday night in Goodell Gym on the campus of South Dakota Mines.
The Hardrockers were on fire in the first set of the match against the Orediggers. Each team led early on in the set and were tied 9-9. The Hardrockers then took over the set scoring seven straight points that included a couple of service aces from
Hannah Benes and
Kristin Luce. The Hardrockers allowed the Orediggers three more points in the set and won 25-12.
Dejah Behrend dominated the Orediggers at the net with six kills.
Kassie Luce had five assists.
The Orediggers showed why they are #19 in the country in the second set jumping out to an early 10-4 lead. The Hardrockers worked their way back into the set scoring a couple of points to cut the lead to 10-6.
Emma Grimm brought the Hardrockers to within two points with a huge kill, but the Orediggers still led 13-11. The Orediggers would score four points to lead 17-12. After a Hardrocker timeout, the Hardrockers scored three points to bring the score to 17-15. The Hardrockers' run forced the Orediggers to call a timeout of their own. South Dakota Mines got to within one point 18-17, but the Orediggers scored four points to bring their lead to 22-18. Colorado Mines would score the final three points to win the set 25-19.
Jacey Koethe led the Hardrockers with five kills for the Hardrockers.
The Hardrockers were not fazed to start the third set scoring the first four points. The Hardrockers kept the momentum taking a 9-4 lead. The Orediggers would fight their way back tying the set 12-12. Both teams battled for points with the score 21-20 in favor of the Orediggers. Colorado Mines would end up winning the set 25-21. Koethe had six kills for the Hardrockers. Luce and
Kiley Metzger each had eight assists.
The Orediggers took an early 5-2 lead in the fourth set, but the Hardrockers bounced back with three points to tie the set 5-5. The set remained close but the Orediggers pulled away leading 15-11. Colorado Mines would go on to win the set 25-16 and the match 3-1.
The Orediggers from Colorado Mines won the match 3-1 (12-25; 25-19; 25-21; 25-16). The loss drops the Hardrockers to 4-7 overall and 1-2 in RMAC play. The Hardrockers will now face Chadron State Saturday afternoon at 3 PM at Goodell Gym.
Notes – Koethe had a monster match with 15 kills. Behrend ended the match with 11 kills.
Kassie Luce had 19 assists, while Metzger had 15.
Anna Thomas had 11 digs.
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.
