RAPID CITY, S.D. – After a strong finish to their final non-conference tournament, the volleyball team is back in action for their first home weekend, as they have games on Friday and Saturday at home in the King Center to open RMAC play.
GAME INFORMATION
Regis:
Date/Time: Sept. 20 / 6:00 PM MT
Site: Rapid City, S.D.
Arena: King Center
Series Overall: Regis leads 14-0.
Streak: Regis Won 14
Last Meeting: Regis won in Denver, 3-0 (9/15/23).
Watch Live: RMAC Network |
rmacnetwork.com/sdmines
UCCS:
Date/Time: Sept. 21 / 6:00 PM MT
Site: Rapid City, S.D.
Arena: King Center
Series Overall: UCCS leads 10-3.
Streak: South Dakota Mines Won 1
Last Meeting: South Dakota Mines won in Rapid City, 3-0 (10/26/23).
Watch Live: RMAC Network |
rmacnetwork.com/sdmines
ALESSANDRA ATTACKS
Alessandra Meoni has started strong this season and easily could've been RMAC Offensive Player of the Week following the tournament at Black Hills State last weekend where she was named Tournament MVP. In going 3-1 overall, Ale was unstoppable, combining for 65 kills on an eye-popping hitting percentage of .422.
Meoni also recorded two double-doubles with digs and a career-high seven blocks against MSU Billings.
Currently, she sits fifth in the RMAC in hitting percentage (.349), third in kills per set (3.97), third in points per set (4.47) and is leading in total kills with 119.
STEADY AS SHE GOES
Kiley Metzger has been one of the top setters in the RMAC for years, earning RMAC honors in both of the last two seasons and she picked up right where she left off last season at the Black Hills State tournament, also easily could've grabbed the setter of the week award in the RMAC, combining for 173 assists and just one error. Against the University of Sioux Falls, Kiley recorded a staggering 66 assists, setting a new school record for South Dakota Mines. In addition, Metzger had a double-double in each of the matches, and now has five on the season.
BALL STAYS ALIVE
As was the case last year, the combination of back row and defensive specialists that South Dakota Mines boasts is strong as the combination of
Hannah Benes,
Emma Grimm,
Rachel Mau and
Josey Wickersham continue to keep balls alive in the back row.
As a team, South Dakota Mines leads the RMAC in digs per set with 19.3.
Benes a 2023 All-RMAC honoree leads the charge with 4.93 digs per set, also second in the RMAC, while
Emma Grimm is also among the leaders in the conference, averaging 3.43 per set.
Not only are the Hardrockers rated near the top of the RMAC but they're also nationally highly ranked in digs per set (seventh) and total digs (10th) at the Division II level.
Scouting Regis
After being selected third in the RMAC in the pre-season poll and a strong 2023 where they defeated MSU Denver in the RMAC Championship, Regis has started a bit slow in 2024, beginning it with a 2-6 record.
That record may be a bit deceiving, however, as they have taken on five top-25 opponents in their first eight matchups, going 1-4 in those.
Despite the record, as is typical with Regis, they do a good job in the middle as they are currently second in the RMAC in both blocks per set and total blocks.
Leading the charge in the middle is Amelia Davis who is a two-time RMAC All-Conference First Team selection, a three-time all-region selection and a two-time all-american.
Halle Theis also joins her, averaging .85 blocks per set.
Davis and Theis also sit in the top 15 in the RMAC in points, averaging 3.52 and 3.46 per set.
Braiziah Dixon is one to watch out for also playing middle, but she is also effective on the other side of the net as she is leading the RMAC in hitting percentage at .433, albeit with limited attacks on the season.
Scouting UCCS
UCCS had a great showing in their season-opening tournament two weekends ago, going 4-0, but not as great this past weekend, going 1-3 to now sit at 5-3 overall heading into RMAC play.
Like the Hardrockers, UCCS plays strong defense as they sit in the top five in the RMAC in opponent hitting percentage, team digs and team blocks.
In addition to that, they are great from behind the service line, sitting in third in the RMAC early on in the 2024 campaign.
Emily Pruitt and Payton Tompkins are a strong duo to watch for UCCS as they both are in the top 10 in the conference in kills per set, points per set and kills.
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.
