LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- On Saturday afternoon, the Hardrockers faced off with New Mexico Highlands
After a slow start in the first set, the Hardrockers turned it on, led by
Kiera Walsh and
Ivy Vindivich, the Hardrockers dominated sets 2-4, to move to 13-7 on the year and 7-3 in RMAC play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
South Dakota Mines got out to a fast start in the first set, 5-0, but New Mexico Highlands would eventually work its way back into the set. With the Hardrockers leading 22-18, the Cowgirls rattled off four straight points, tying it up, before eventually winning it 25-23.
The second set started with a common occurrence and that was a double block by Walsh and Vindivich. Early in the first set, the Hardrockers would get five straight points, starting with a Vindivich kill assisted by
Kiley Metzger and bookended by a Walsh kill. Tied at 10, the Hardrockers took over with a 7-0 run including 2 of 9 blocks on the night by Walsh and two more kills. Three straight points later in the set gave South Dakota Mines a 24-15 advantage before closing it out, 25-17.
The third set would be more of the same with the Hardrockers getting out to 4-0 and 8-2 leads.
Alessandra Meoni would jump-start a 4-0 run, giving South Dakota Mines a 22-13 advantage, and they would close this one out, also by a score of 25-17.
Four straight points early in the fourth gave the Hardrockers an 8-3 lead that they wouldn't relinquish, going up 16-6 after a
Kiley Metzger kill and eventually taking the set, 25-16.
NOTES
The nine blocks from
Kiera Walsh are the most by a Hardrocker since
Jacey Koethe had 12 on Mar. 18, 2021…
Ivy Vindivich led the team in kills with 15, adding six blocks…
Alessandra Meoni recorded 11 kills and three blocks…
Kiley Metzger recorded another double-double, tallying 38 assists to go along with 10 digs…
Rachel Mau and
Josey Wickersham led the team with 11 digs…Wickersham also tied for the team lead with Walsh with three aces.
UP NEXT
There is a brief break in RMAC play as the Hardrockers host the RMAC Power Pod as UCCS and Fort Lewis come to visit the King Center on Thursday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Oct. 28 for non-RMAC matchups.
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.
