Box Score RAPID CITY, S.D. – Standing at 5-2 in RMAC play and 10-7 overall, the Hardrocker volleyball team is in action at the King Center twice this week.
First up is the local rival as South Dakota Mines takes on Black Hills State on Tuesday night at 7:00 at the King Center.
Following that matchup is a game with New Mexico Highlands on Friday night, also at the King Center, starting at 6 p.m.
GAME INFORMATION
Black Hills State
Date/Time: Oct. 22 / 7:00 PM MT
Site: Rapid City, S.D.
Arena: King Center
Series Overall: Black Hills State leads 50-14 (since 1995).
Streak: South Dakota Mines Won 2
Last Meeting: South Dakota Mines won in Spearfish, 3-0 (10/3/24).
Watch Live: RMAC Network
New Mexico Highlands
Date/Time: Oct. 25 / 6:00 PM MT
Site: Rapid City, S.D.
Arena: King Center
Series Overall: South Dakota Mines leads 5-4.
Streak: South Dakota Mines Won 2
Last Meeting: South Dakota Mines won in Las Vegas, 3-1 (10/21/23).
Watch Live: RMAC Network
KEEPING RALLIES ALIVE
The Hardrockers continue to do a great job of keeping the ball up and off the floor, as they average 17.35 digs per set, best in the RMAC and 33rd in NCAA Division II.
BENES IS BEST
Hannah Benes is a multi-tool weapon for the Hardrockers as she is fourth in the league in digs per set, averaging 4.62 per set but she also shines behind the service line as she is first in the RMAC in aces per set (.60) and total aces (39). Those numbers rank 16th and 20th in NCAA Division II.
MEONI MASHES
Alessandra Meoni just keeps playing well as the season continues. Her hitting percentage of .303 is just outside the top 10 in the conference, while averaging 3.98 kills per set and 4.56 points per set are both second in the RMAC and top 30 in NCAA Division II.
READY TO PLAY
On Friday night, needing a spark, down 2-0 to Colorado School of Mines, the Hardrockers turned to a trio that has not seen a ton of court time in
Joy Aburto,
Heather Jiricek and
Paisley Gibson and they delivered.
Joy Aburto delivered six kills and five blocks,
Paisley Gibson finished with 10 kills and a block, while
Heather Jiricek had seven blocks and hit .500 with nine kills.
SCOUTING BLACK HILLS STATE
It has been a struggle thus far this season for the Yellow Jackets as they are 4-14 overall and have yet to pick up a win in RMAC play with a 0-8 mark.
Despite the struggles, as a team, Black Hills State does things well. They are fifth in the RMAC in aces per set with 1.64.
Digs per set is another strong area for them as they are second in the conference, averaging 16.72 per set.
Brooke Miller and Randi Wellhoefer are two of their best players.
Miller is just outside the top 10 in the RMAC in kills per set, points per set and digs per set.
Wellhoefer averages .95 blocks per set to sit in seventh in the conference.
Ellie Thomas is fifth in the RMAC in digs per set, averaging 4.54 per set.
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS
New Mexico Highlands is also not off to a hot start to the year with a 4-14 overall record but has a pair of RMAC wins and is 2-6 in the RMAC, having beaten Adams State and Colorado School of Mines.
As a team, they rank in the bottom third of the RMAC in all statistical categories.
Abby Carlsen is a key player as she averages 5.58 assists per set and 363 total assists to come in the top 10 in the RMAC in both.
Jada Lawson is in the top 15 in the league in both blocks per set and total blocks.
LOOKING AHEAD
The following week, the Hardrockers have a trio of games with Western Colorado on the road on Oct. 29, before coming back home to play a pair of non-conference games as they take on Chadron State on Oct. 31 and CSU Pueblo on Nov. 2.
You can find the latest on South Dakota Mines volleyball all year long on X and Instagram (@hardrockervb), while also following on Facebook at Hardrocker Volleyball. The latest on South Dakota Mines athletics can be found by following us on X at @GoHardrockers, hardrockerathletics on Instagram and Hardrocker Athletics on Facebook.
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.
