GOLDEN, Colo. – South Dakota Mines Volleyball played at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic this weekend to begin the 2025 season.
Match 1: Hardrockers at Colorado School of Mines, 1-3 L
To start the new season, the Hardrockers faced Colorado School of Mines in a non-conference matchup. They fell 3-1 to the Orediggers at Lockridge Arena.
The Hardrockers lost the first set 25-23 to the Orediggers. With a four-point lead early, Colorado Mines went on a four-point run to tie up the set at 8-8. The two teams went back-and-forth until an Orediggers three-point run that held to take a 1-0 match lead.
The Orediggers went on to win the second set 25-21. They went up 7-1 but the Hardrockers brought it back to an 11-11 tie midway through the set. With a 19-20 deficit, Colorado Mines took a 23-19 lead that turned into a 25-21 set two win.
In the third set, South Dakota Mines won 25-23 to make the match score 2-1.
Hannah Benes' service ace gave the Hardrockers a 9-5 lead early. Two kills and an ace capped off a run to make the score 18-11. The Orediggers attempted a comeback but two attack errors gave the Hardrockers a 25-23 win.
Colorado Mines won the fourth set 25-18 to secure a 3-1 win. An early 10-3 lead carried the Orediggers all the way through the set as they topped the Hardrockers 3-1.
Ivy Vindivich tied the match-high with 13 kills.
Lexi Glendenning recorded a double-double with her 10 kills and 10 digs.
Hannah Benes led the team with 14 digs.
Hannah Joseph had 19 assists, while
Sara Hinson tallied 17 assists.
Match 2: Hardrockers vs. Davenport, 1-3 L
South Dakota Mines fell to Davenport 3-1 in the first match on Saturday.
The Hardrockers won a close first set 26-24 to take a lead. In the middle of the set, South Dakota Mines recorded six points in seven attempts to take a 16-9 lead. However, Davenport went on a run to take an 18-17 lead. The Hardrockers responded as they recorded a 22-19 lead. With a 24-24 tie,
Joy Aburto recorded a kill and
Kiera Walsh secured the set with an ace.
The Panthers went on to win the second set 25-14 over the Hardrockers. Midway through the set, Davenport picked up five straight points to lead 14-6. Seven points in eight attempts elevated the Panthers to tie the match.
Davenport won set three 25-21 to take a 2-1 match lead. The Panthers went on a large run at the beginning of the set to take a 14-5 lead. South Dakota Mines made it a three-point set at the end but the Panthers closed out the set to take a 2-1 lead.
In the fourth set, the Hardrockers made it close but fell 25-27. South Dakota Mines took a 5-2 lead to begin the set. The Panthers went on a 4-1 run to tie up the score at 14-14. The two teams traded points until the Hardrockers held a 24-21 lead. Davenport would go on to win the set 27-25 to win the match over South Dakota Mines.
Vindivich led the team 14 kills. She also had 13 digs for her first double-double of the season. Glendenning was second on the Hardrockers with 12 kills, while Morgan Daughtery contributed nine kills. Benes tallied 18 digs, five assists and three service aces.
Grace Mak and
Kiera Walsh both had three blocks for the Hardrockers.
Match 3: Hardrockers vs. #22 Washburn 0-3 L
In match two on Saturday, the Hardrockers fell to #22 Washburn 3-0.
South Dakota Mines dropped the first set 25-19 to Washburn. The Hardrockers took an early lead as they led the Ichabods 8-2. They recorded five kills in that run. With a 10-7 lead, Washburn went on a seven-point run to take a three-point lead. Washburn went on a 6-0 run a the end of the set to win 25-19.
The Hardrockers kept it closer in the second set but lost 25-21. In the first 11 points of the set, Washburn took 10 points to go up 10-1. At the end of the set, South Dakota Mines made it a three-point set but fell 25-21.
In the third, Washburn won 25-7 to win the match 3-0.
Vindivich led the team with six kills. Daughtery and
Annelise Larson both collected five kills. Defensively,
Josey Wickersham had nine digs for the Hardrockers. Joseph contributed 25 assists.
Match 4: Hardrockers vs. #14 Grand Valley State 1-3 L
In the finale of the Oredigger Classic, South Dakota Mines fell to Grand Valley State 3-1.
The Lakers won the first set 25-20 over the Hardrockers. After Grand Valley took a 10-3 lead, South Dakota Mines went on a six-point run to make it 10-9. The Lakers regained the lead and held it until the end of the set, secured by a Kate Goudreau kill.
In the second set, South Dakota Mines won 25-18 over GVSU. They recorded eight of the first 10 points to take an 8-2 lead. Daugherty recorded three kills in that run. The two teams went back-and-forth until a GVSU four-point run to bring it within three. A Hardrocker four-point run gave South Dakota Mines a 25-21 victory to tie the set.
Grand Valley State responded with a 25-19 win in the third. Both teams traded points until the Lakers took a 13-9 lead. The Hardrockers brought it back within one point until the Lakers collected five points in six tries to eventually win the set 25-19.
In a very close fourth set, Grand Valley State secured the match following a 28-26 win in the fourth set. The Hardrockers picked up four straight points to take a 14-9 lead midway through the set. With a 22-19 lead later, the Lakers picked up two kills and an ace to tie the set. Both teams traded points, but the Lakers put up three straight to win 28-26.
Daugherty collected 16 kills with a .355 hitting percentage. Vindivich had 13 kills with a .375 hitting percentage and three blocks. Glendenning recorded 12 kills and five digs. Benes picked up a double-double with her 11 digs and 10 assists. Joseph contributed 26 assists for the Hardrockers.
What's Next
South Dakota Mines is back in action this weekend at the Rosella Meier UNK Fall Classic. They will play four more matches in three days before RMAC play starts on Sept. 19 at Western Colorado.
