RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The South Dakota Mines volleyball team looks to get back in the win column in RMAC play as they take on Black Hills State this evening.
GAME INFORMATION
Black Hills State
Date/Time: Oct. 17 / 6:00 p.m.
Site: Spearfish, S.D.
Arena: Donald E. Young Center
Series Overall: Black Hills State leads 50-22 (Since 1995).
Streak: Black Hills State Won 2
Series at Black Hills State: Black Hills State leads 25-11 (Since 1995).
Streak at Black Hills State: South Dakota Mines Won 1
Last Meeting: Black Hills State Won in Chadron, 3-2 (9/29/2023).
Watch Live: RMAC Network | www.rmacnetwork.com/sdmines
FANTASTIC FRESHMAN
Ivy Vindivich has stepped up in a big way for the Hardrockers and is playing well. At the beginning of the year, Vindivich wasn't seeing a ton of court time, but she has now recorded double-digit kills in three of her last five matches, including this past Friday night when she had 13 with a hitting percentage of .367 against Colorado School of Mines.
AMONG NATIONS LEADERS
Hannah Benes is dangerous behind the service line, averaging .69 aces per set, tying her for second in NCAA Division II. In addition, she is leading the RMAC in digs per set with 5 per set and is 28th nationally in that area.
WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE
Annelise Larson continue to do a good job as middles for the Hardrockers. Both average nearly a block per set to sit in eighth and 11th in the RMAC in that area. When they aren't getting credit for blocks, they get touches that help in the Hardrockers being on of the best defenses in the RMAC. Larson is also hitting .271 on the year.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Alessandra Meoni is continuing to have a solid year in her first in a Hardrocker uniform. On the year, she is hitting .301 and averaging 3.28 kills per set and 3.55 points per set. Those numbers are 13th, sixth, and seventh best in the RMAC
ELEVATING THE PROGRAM
Throughout her time as head coach,
Lauren Prochazka has continuously improved the program and this year is no different. The Hardrockers are 4-1 at home and 5-3 in RMAC play, both feats that have not been achieved in the program's DII history. The program is sitting in sixth in the RMAC standings, and historically if you can get into that top-5 you are in the mix for an NCAA Tournament berth.
SCOUTING BLACK HILLS STATE
The Yellow Jackets are in the midst of a rebuild in Bree Davis' first full year as coach after serving as interim in her first year. They have started the year with a 5-13 record and are winless in RMAC play, but you can typically throw out the records when these two teams meet.
Haedyn Rhoades continues to be one of the best liberos in the RMAC, averaging 4.76 digs per set.
Abigail Renner averages 3.14 kills per set, while Hannah Lamon is often the person setting her up as she averages 7.73 assists per set. Renner also averages 3.76 points per set, fifth in the RMAC.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following the Tuesday night matchup, the Hardrockers head to the road, taking on New Mexico Highlands on Saturday.
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 13 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.
