RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The South Dakota Mines volleyball team continues RMAC play this weekend as they have a single road matchup in Durango, taking on Fort Lewis.
GAME INFORMATION
Fort Lewis
Date/Time: Oct. 5 / 1:00 p.m. MT
Site: Durango, Colo.
Arena: Whalen Gymnasium
Series Overall: Fort Lewis leads 5-3 (Since 2015).
Streak: South Dakota Mines Won 1
Series at Fort Lewis: Fort Lewis leads 3-0.
Streak at Fort Lewis: Fort Lewis Won 3
Last Meeting: South Dakota Mines won in Rapid City, 3-0 (10/14/2022).
Watch Live: RMAC Network | www.rmacnetwork.com/sdmines
FILLING IN BIG SHOES
Ellison Spencer continued to fill in for
Kiley Metzger and had another good one as she recorded 33 assists and 7 digs. In total over the two matches that she's started in, she's recorded 75 assists.
ROLLING IN THE RMAC
The Hardrockers after falling in their first two RMAC matches of the year back in early September have now rolled off three consecutive RMAC wins over Adams State, CSU Pueblo, and Western Colorado most recently.
YOUTH GET THEIR TIME TO SHINE
Against Western Colorado, several young players who haven't seen a ton of court time got their chance and they took it.
Ivy Vindivich recorded 10 kills for a career high while
Louisa Battin recorded 5 assists, 1 kill, and 4 digs.
Joy Aburto also appeared in a set.
BALANCED ATTACK
The Hardrockers can be difficult to defend because you never know who is going to come at you.
Alessandra Meoni is one of the top attackers in the RMAC with a .312 hitting percentage and averaging 3.42 kills per set, but the Hardrockers also have
Paisley Gibson (2022 RMAC Honorable Mention),
Annelise Larson,
Jenna Curtis, and
Kiera Walsh among others.
PROTECTING HOME FLOOR
Over the last two years, South Dakota Mines has improved in their play at home, winning four last year, the most since their inaugural RMAC year back in 2015, and have been flawless thus far this season, starting 3-0.
SCOUTING FORT LEWIS
The Skyhawks have had a bit of an uneven start to the season as they are 6-8 overall, but just 1-3 in RMAC play.
In their most recent matchups, the regional pod, they took on Adams State and New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas, N.M. where they put together a pair of victories.
Alexis Honie returns for Fort Lewis as a 2022 Second Team All-Conference selection, now in her junior season. Ella Butler joins her as an honorable mention in 2022. That pair is dangerous as Butler is top-15 in the RMAC in hitting, while Hobie averages 3.33 kills per set. Butler also is second in the RMAC in aces. Butler and Hobie are each top-5 in the conference in points.
Sarah Wilkey and Natalia Lambos are great complementary pieces as setter and defensive specialist as Wilkey is sixth in digs and 11th in aces, while Lambos is fifth in assists in the RMAC.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following the lone road game this weekend, the Hardrockers will head home for the weekend of Oct. 13 & 14 as they take on Colorado School of Mines on Friday night, while taking on MSU Denver 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.
