GOLDEN, Colo. – The #23-ranked Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team dropped a five-set heartbreaker to South Dakota Mines on Friday night inside Lockridge Arena.
 
The loss came despite four different Orediggers collecting double-digit kills and a pair of double-doubles courtesy of Drew Stokes and Amanda Donais. Stokes had 62 assists and 13 kills for her third double-double of the season. The setter also produced six kills on nine attempts along with two service aces and one block. Donais' double-double was her first of the season and came by way of 15 kills and 12 digs. She also led all players with six total blocks. Also leading all players was Lindsey Jin with 17 kills while Abby Tiesman and Taylor Hicken rounded out the double-digit quartet with 15 kills and 11 kills, respectively. Defensively, Elle Duis led all Orediggers with 21 digs.
 
Mines (12-3, 5-2 RMAC) recorded 29 more kills, 27 more assists and notched 19 more digs than South Dakota Mines (7-8, 3-3 RMAC), but still saw its four-match winning streak come to an end. On the other side, the Hardrockers held the advantage in blocks, 8-5, and benefited from 13 service errors by the Orediggers. The loss drops Colorado School of Mines into third place in the RMAC standings while moves within striking distance of the top 10.  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Another crisp fall night set the stage for a nail-biting showdown between a pair of engineering programs, but the first two sets would mask what was to come. The Orediggers leapt out to a 2-0 lead in the match by scores of 25-18 and 25-14. Mines never trailed and were tied with the visitors just three times in the first two sets. Heading into intermission, Tiesman had already accumulated nine kills and Donais had eight with the Orediggers hitting nearly .400 and looking to complete the sweep.
 
However, after the break, the Hardrockers flipped a switch and would not allow the home team to win another set amid a furious comeback. South Dakota Mines started its rally back into the match with four blocks in the third set and an extra-points victory, 27-25. In the fourth frame, the Hardrockers had only two blocks but still held the Orediggers to a match-low .186 on the attack. The decisive fifth set saw Colorado School of Mines out-hit (.222-.192), out-dig (11-9) and out-block (3-1) the opposition, but two service aces by the visitors proved to be the difference in the 17-15 decision as SDSMT completed the upset.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 5-1 in the series against SDSMT, dating back to 2012.
- Saturday marked the Orediggers' first five-set match of the season.
- Stokes' double-double was her second straight and 10th of her career. Her 62 assists against the Hardrockers came one shy of matching her career best.
- Additionally, Stokes surpassed 2,000 assists for her career in Saturday night's match.
- True freshman Gabby Castronova made her collegiate debut Saturday night, recording six digs for the Orediggers.
- Cora McCanlies also appeared for Mines and recorded the first assist of her career.
- Tiesman has now recorded double-digit kills in 12 consecutive matches. Mines is 10-3 when Tiesman knocks down more than 10 kills.
- Donais' five blocks against SDSMT are a career-high for the sophomore. She put up five total blocks on Friday night against Black Hills State.
- Elle Duis has recorded at least 20 digs four different times in 2019. She has 69 blocks in her last four matches, averaging 5.75 digs per set in that span.
- Mines is now 103-13 in RMAC play dating back to 2012.
- Head coach Jamie Magalei is 268-90 in 12 seasons at Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Orediggers return to action next Friday against Westminster at 7 p.m. in Salt Lake City. 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.