GOLDEN, Colo. – The #23-ranked Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team dominated UCCS in three sets on Tuesday evening inside Lockridge Arena.  
 
Mines used a complete, well-rounded effort in the victory with a quartet of Orediggers standing out in the box score. Elle Duis served as the cornerstone of the back row by putting up 23 digs at a clip of nearly 8.0 digs per set. Abby Tiesman spearheaded the offense behind 18 kills while hitting .452 and racking up four total blocks. Teammate Megan Neil was not far behind thanks to 12 kills on 14 attempts with one error for a hitting percentage of .786. Drew Stokes capped it all off by dishing out 16.3 assists per set for a total of 49 on the night.
 
The victory marks the Orediggers' third straight win and moves Mines (11-2, 4-1 RMAC) into a tie for #2 in the RMAC standings. As a team, the Orediggers produced double-digit margins of advantage in kills (57-43), assists (54-39) and digs (53-41). UCCS (5-8, 3-2 RMAC) did out-block the home team, 7-4, but only managed to hit .234 as a team compared to Mines' .431 conversion rate – a season best for the Orediggers.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
On a cold, misty Tuesday evening, the Mines volleyball team celebrated Faculty & Staff appreciation night inside Lockridge Arena with the Orediggers' special guests announced as part of the starting lineup. Soon after the festivities, the temperature rose and the heat was on in what proved to be the hardest-fought set of the night – set one. It started with UCCS racing out to a 5-1 advantage. The Mountain Lions held their lead over the next 20 points before Mines tied the match, 13-13. The Orediggers' comeback was fueled by a quick 3-0 run featuring back-to-back kills from Tiesman.
 
After Mines rallied back to tie the opening set, neither team led by more than two points down the home stretch. It was a game that featured 16 ties and seven lead changes as both squads exchanged points from 13-13 on. As the frame went into extra points, it would be Tiesman who handed the home team three unanswered points for the 31-29 win, and appropriately so. Tiesman finished the first game with 10 kills and one ace on 13 attempts. Elle Duis notched nine digs and Stokes had nearly 20 assists.
 
UCCS came out firing in the second set as well, exchanging volleys with Mines all the way to 17-17. However, the Mountain Lions seemed to run out of gas with the Orediggers going on a 6-1 run to close out the 25-19 win and take a 2-0 lead in the match. It was a round that featured just six ties and one lead change thanks to four kills each from Amanda Donais and Tiesman.  
 
That set the stage for Mines to sweep and the home team did not disappoint. The Orediggers and UCCS were never tied and Mines never trailed in the final set thanks to nine more digs from Duis and a balanced attack featuring five kills from Neil, four from Tiesman and four more off the hand of Lindsey Jin. Mines clinched the final set and the victory, 25-17.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines has won 12 consecutive matches against UCCS. The Orediggers have not lost to the Mountain Lions since Sept. 15, 2012.
- In 11 wins this season, Mines has swept nine of its opponents. The Orediggers have only lost eight sets total in 2019.
- Stokes' 49 assists Tuesday night are tied for the third-most in a three-set match in all of NCAA Division II this season. She also holds the #2 mark in four-set matches this season.
- Tiesman's 18 kills against UCCS are the second-most in a match for the senior in 2019. She put up 22 kills on Sept. 14 against Emporia State.
- Additionally, Tiesman's four blocks Tuesday evening give her exactly 50.0 blocks this year and over 280 blocks in her career.
- Elle Duis's 23 digs were a season high for the sophomore libero.
- Neil's hitting percentage of .786 marks a career high (min. 5 kills) for the sophomore outside hitter.
- Mines is now 102-12 in RMAC play dating back to 2012.
- Head coach Jamie Magalei is 267-89 in 12 seasons at Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Orediggers return to action Friday at home against Black Hills State at 7 p.m. inside Lockridge Arena. 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. Fans can also follow Mines Volleyball on Twitter using the handle @MinesVolleyball.