GOLDEN, Colo. – First-Team All-RMAC middle blocker Abby Tiesman put the Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team on her back Tuesday night as she led the Orediggers to a 3-1 win over Fort Lewis inside Lockridge Arena and into the RMAC Tournament semifinals.
 
Tiesman led all players as she knocked down a career-high 24 kills while hitting .524 over four sets. She also recorded five digs and three total blocks. Taylor Hicken and Janice Jin joined Tiesman in double digits with 10 kills each. RMAC Setter and Freshman of the Year Drew Stokes was her usual, stellar self with 55 assists, seven digs, four kills and three blocks.
 
Defensively, Elle Duis and Amanda Donais sustained extended rallies for the Orediggers with 22 digs and 16 digs, respectively. Hannah Martin also stepped up defensively with 10 digs, seven total blocks and five service aces. Hicken capped off her night with four blocks as well.
 
The top-seeded Orediggers (23-4) defeated Fort Lewis (9-14) for the 16th consecutive time with head coach Jamie Magalei at the helm. Mines' win streak over the Skyhawks dates back to 2008. With the win, the Orediggers advance to their seventh straight RMAC Tournament semifinal where they will host the #4 seed, MSU Denver.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
In a midweek, postseason match with critical exams taking place, top-seed Mines found a different way to win each of its three sets Tuesday night. Despite dropping the opening set, the Orediggers flexed their defensive muscle with three blocks amidst a 7-0 run before falling 25-17.
 
After hitting just .133 in game one, Mines' offense turned the tables in set two as it posted a hitting percentage of .300. Fort Lewis only hit .176 thanks to 22 combined digs from the Orediggers. Tiesman racked up five of her 24 kills in the second game, but the story was six digs each from Duis and Donais. Martin provided two of the Orediggers' three service aces as Mines evened the match with a 25-15 win.
 
Following the intermission, the Orediggers upped the dose of Tiesman while also increasing their defense. Three total blocks and 21 digs dropped the Skyhawks' hitting percentage down to .081 for game three. Tiesman sliced and diced with eight kills on 12 attempts with no errors (.750), propelling Mines to a 25-21 victory and a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
The final set of the night was truly all Tiesman as the junior collected nine of Mines' 19 kills in the set with just one error on 17 attempts. She added an exclamation point to her performance with two blocks in the final set as she helped the Orediggers clinch the match with a 25-14 win.
 
NOTABLES
- Tiesman's 24 kills are tied for sixth-most in single match in Mines' history. It marks the most kills in a match since 2013 when Melanie Wannamaker recorded 26 against MSU Denver.
- Mines has advanced to every RMAC Tournament semifinal since 2012.
- The Orediggers are now 8-2 in RMAC Tournament quarterfinals with Magalei as head coach.
- Stokes' 55 assists give her 1,196 on the season which ranks sixth on Mines' single-season assists list.
- Stokes has 50-plus assists in three straight appearances.
- Mines' 11.5 blocks Tuesday give the Orediggers 29.5 total blocks over its last three matches.
- Hicken has recorded double-digit kills in five of her last six matches.
- Coach Magalei is 255-85 in 11 seasons at Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines hosts fourth-seeded MSU Denver Friday night at 7 p.m. inside Lockridge Arena in the RMAC Tournament semifinal round. Live stats and video of the match will be available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all season long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.