DENVER, Colo. – South Dakota Mines Volleyball fell at (RV) UCCS and #12 MSU Denver over the weekend.
Match 1: Hardrockers at (RV) UCCS, 1-3 L
South Dakota Mines fell to (RV) UCCS 1-3 at the Gallogly Events Center on Friday night.
The Mountain Lions dominated the first set with a 25-15 victory. After going out to a 5-1 lead, UCCS went up 18-11 and went on a 7-3 run to win 25-15.
In the second set, South Dakota Mines flipped the script with a 25-1 win. The Hardrockers went out to an early 11-6 lead, but the Mountain Lions staged a comeback to make it a two-point set. A 12-4 run gave the Hardrockers a 25-15 victory to tie the match 1-1.
UCCS went on to win the match after they secured a close 25-23 set three and 25-21 fourth set.
Lexi Glendenning led the Hardrockers with 14 kills.
Ivy Vindivich recorded 10 and
Maria Bouman tallied eight. Bouman also had two aces, five blocks and five digs.
Hannah Benes totaled 23 digs, five assists and one ace.
Hannah Joseph had 22 assists, while
Louisa Battin recorded 14. In total, South Dakota Mines had 11 blocks, 48 kills and 60 digs.
Match 2: Hardrockers at #11 MSU Denver, 0-3 L
In their final match of the weekend, the Hardrockers were swept by #11 MSU Denver in Denver, Colorado.
The Roadrunners took down the Hardrockers in the first set 25-16. An eight-point run in the middle of the set made it 15-5. South Dakota Mines recorded a 9-1 run, but it was not enough as MSU Denver won 25-16.
South Dakota Mines dropped the second set 23-25. They went out to a 12-3 lead early in the set. With a 23-20 lead in hand, MSU Denver picked up five straight points to win 25-23.
In the third, MSU Denver downed South Dakota Mines 26-24 to win 3-0. Both teams traded runs throughout the entire set. With an 18-22 deficit, the Hardrockers put up five straight points by way of three kills and two blocks. However, the Roadrunners picked up three of the next four points to win 26-24.
Joy Aburto recorded six kills and a .400 hitting percentage to lead the team.
Kiera Walsh had four kills, three digs and six blocks for South Dakota Mines. Bouman also had six blocks in the match. Benes tallied 19 digs and Joseph picked up 13 assists.
The Hardrockers totaled 12 blocks in the three set match.
With the losses, South Dakota Mines dropped to 4-12 and 2-4 in the RMAC this season.
What's Next
South Dakota Mines returns home on Oct. 17 to face New Mexico Highlands at 6 p.m. They will face Adams State on Oct. 18 at 4 p.m. After that match, the Hardrockers will go on a five-game road trip.
