#6 Mines (15-1, 8-0 RMAC) at Colorado Christian (7-9, 4-4 RMAC) – Friday, 7 p.m. – Lakewood, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#6 Mines (15-1, 8-0 RMAC) at #2 MSU Denver (14-2, 8-0 RMAC) – Saturday, 5 p.m. – Denver, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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BIG MATCH WEEKEND
Friday and Saturday mark a pair of big-time local matches for the #6 Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team. The first contest comes against a middling Colorado Christian squad that has toppled the Orediggers multiple times in recent history. Saturday is a nationally-ranked showdown at #2-ranked MSU Denver. Not only are both teams ranked in the nation's top-10, but the Orediggers and Roadrunners are the only remaining squads undefeated in RMAC play. Friday will be a difficult hurdle before a Saturday battle for first place in the conference standings.
 
FAN INFORMATION
Fans should note that masks are required for all spectators at MSU Denver regardless of vaccination status. Colorado Christian also welcomes fans back to the CCU Events Center with state guidelines strongly recommending masks for all in attendance.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The RMAC Network has relaunched for 2021-22, and fans used to watching on their smart TV or other device must download the new app by searching "RMAC" in your device's app store. The new watch portal is available online at www.minesathletics.com/tv or www.rmacnetwork.com. All Mines home matches will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network this fall.
 
LAST WEEK REWIND
Mines stayed hot like fire last week with a pair of 3-0 wins over  Adams State and New Mexico Highlands inside Lockridge arena. It marked the tail end of a four-match home stand and the Orediggers did not disappoint. They dispatched the Grizzlies in nearly an hour flat thanks to double-digit kills from Taylor Hicken, Julia Eiken and Amanda Donais. Mines earned the win against a squad that had previously swept the #2 team in the nation in Angelo State. Saturday proved nearly as efficient with Mines hosting a massively-improved Cowgirls team. This time, Eiken, Hicken and Rose Stuewe were the stars with 12 kills each. Both Eiken and Hicken hit .500 or better in the middle. The two victories extended Mines' win streak to 12 straight victories and improved what is already the best start in program history.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO CHRISTIAN
At 7-9 overall and 4-4 in the RMAC, Colorado Christian has proven hit or miss in the first half of the season. They started the year 2-2 at Mines' own Oredigger Classic followed by a 1-3 outing at Wisconsin-Parkside's tournament. Eight matches in conference play have seen CCU play in three five-set thrillers with five straight-set affairs. Most notable, for different reasons, are five-set losses at home against Adams State and Colorado Mesa. The Cougars own 3-0 wins over Western Colorado, Westminster and South Dakota Mines. Individually, Breanna Allen is the name to know thanks to 170 kills at 3.33 kills per set while hitting .232. Nobody on the team is hitting over .300 on the year. Izzy Jones is the setter. Madelyn Long anchors the back row and Mackenzie Close is tops at the net with 44 blocks in 50 sets.
 
SCOUTING MSU DENVER
MSU Denver hosts Chadron State on Friday before welcoming Mines on Saturday. Like the Orediggers, the Roadrunners tout a 12-match win streak and a perfect 8-0 RMAC record. MSU Denver's overall record of 14-2 is marred only by opening-weekend losses to now #24-ranked Chaminade and then #14-ranked Western Washington. The Roadrunners began their streak at the Colorado Premier with four wins including #10 Central Missouri, #1 Concordia-St. Paul and #17 Wayne State. Since starting conference action, MSU Denver has swept five of its eight opponents and escaped both CSU Pueblo and Colorado Mesa in five sets. Multiple individuals are capable of standout nights. However, Rylee Hladky is the top hitter with multiple RMAC weekly awards. Hladky touts 215 kills at 3.52 kills per set while hitting .266. Also notable are Avaline Lai's 191 kills and .348 attack percentage. Amela Qershia and Jessa Megenhardt coordinate the two-setter system. Ashlyn Cianciulli is one of the top libero's in the league with 258 digs and 4.23 digs per set. Ember Canty spearheads the block with 61 total at a clip of 1.02 per set. As a team, the Roadrunners rank #11 in the nation in assists per set, #13 in win-loss percentage, #14 in kills per set and #20 in hitting percentage.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Mines boasts a 38-24 record in the all-time series against Colorado Christian. The Orediggers are 20-64 in their rivalry with MSU Denver. That being said, Mines is 7-3 in their previous 10 meetings with both teams. Ironically, the Orediggers are 3-2 against CCU since 2018 while sitting 5-2 versus the Roadrunners during the same span. Mines last met the Cougars on Jan. 30, 2021. The result was a 3-0 win for the Orediggers. MSU Denver last saw Mines in the Spring 2021 RMAC Tournament Championship match where the Orediggers toppled the Roadrunners in four sets. Mines' last loss to CCU was Oct. 26, 2019, in five sets in Lakewood. The Orediggers dropped a four-setter to MSU Denver in the spring at the Auraria Events Center.
 
MAGALEI VS. THE OPPOSITION
Oredigger head lady Jamie Magalei took the reins of the program in 2008. Since that time she has put together a career record of 22-5 against Colorado Christian while going 15-15 against MSU Denver. That makes Magalei's combined record against this weekend's opponents 37-20. However, as stated above she is 14-6 against the Cougars and Roadrunners in their last 10 respective meetings. Magalei has faced MSU Denver three times in one season on four different occasions. The only time she has seen CCU more than twice in a season was 2012 when the Orediggers and Cougars met four times. In 13.5 season, Magalei has never lost to CCU in the postseason. She has gone against the Roadrunners nine different times in the postseason with a 4-4 mark in the RMAC Tournament and a 1-0 record in the NCAA Tournament.
 
STILL STREAKING
Last weeks' wins moved the Orediggers' win streak to 12. At 15-1 overall, Mines has blown all previous top starts to a season out of the water. The former best mark was 12-1 to open 2014. Thanks to a handful of losses over the last week, the Orediggers' active run is now tied for #4 in NCAA Division II. After Nova Southeastern's loss, West Florida and Shepherd claimed the top active winning streak with 15 consecutive victories, respectively, to date. Mines has yet to produce its best run since winning 15 straight in 2013. The only other team ahead of the Orediggers and Roadrunners is Hillsdale with 14 consecutive victories.
 
#1 IN THE NATION
Mines continues to rank #1 in NCAA Division II in hitting percentage thanks to a .335 clip on the year. That number ranks #2 across all divisions of the NCAA. The only team more efficient than the Orediggers is BYU which is ranked #8 in the NCAA Division I national poll. Mines' run at the top has been fueled by Taylor Hicken who just took over the #1 spot in DII for individual hitting percentage. Her .473 clip on the year also ranks #5 across all divisions. Only three DI players and one DIII player is hitting better than Hicken. Additionally, Drew Stokes is #2 in DII in assists per set and #19 in total assists. Amanda Donais joins Hicken on the hitting percentage list at #19 as well. As a team, the Orediggers also rank #2 in kills per set, #3 in assists per set and #5 in winning percentage.
 
RMAC UPDATE
This weekend marks the halfway point of each team's RMAC campaign. If the season ended today, the top four seeds hosting the quarterfinals would be Mines, MSU Denver, Regis and either CSU Pueblo or Colorado Mesa. Rounding out the eight-team field would be either the ThunderWolves or Mavericks with Western Colorado, Colorado Christian, Adams State and Fort Lewis joining the party. New Mexico Highlands currently sits one match out of the projected field. Chadron State, South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State are the next in line. Pending a massive run, UCCS and Westminster are mostly on the outside looking in.
 
THE NATIONAL POLL
Week six of the AVCA Division II Top 25 put Mines in sole possession of #6 after being tied for the same slot the previous week. There was minimal movement at the top quarter of the list. The only change was Wayne State moving out of a tie with Mines and up to #5. Washburn remains #1 with MSU Denver #2, Angelo State #3 and Central Missouri #4. No other RMAC programs appeared in the top-25, but Colorado Mesa and Regis both received votes. UT Tyler joined MSU Denver, ASU and Mines to make four South Central Region teams in the national poll.
 
FUN FACT OF THE WEEK
It's no mystery to Oredigger nation that Drew Stokes is an elite setter. However, just how elite may come as a surprise. With two complete seasons and two partial seasons under her belt, Stokes boasts 3,999 assists in her career. That number ranks #2 on Mines' all-time list. Arguably more impressive is Stokes' assist-per-set numbers. While the program record book doesn't yet include career assists per set, the senior's clip of 11.87 assists per set leads all active players across all divisions of the NCAA. That's right, no other player in NCAA Division I, II or III has a better assists-per-set number than Drew Stokes. To put it in perspective, Sydney Hilley is the setter for #3 Wisconsin. As a graduate student she boasts 11.80 assists per set in her career. Going further back, Jenna Gray was the starting setter for Stanford in 2019 where she won three NCAA National Championships, and was a three-time AVCA First-Team All-American. Gray's career number was 11.22 assists per set. Stokes will get the rest of 2021 and all of 2022 to continue making history.
 
UP NEXT
Mines continues a four-match road trip next week at Chadron State on Tuesday, Oct. 19, and Regis on Friday, Oct. 23. Live stats and video on the RMAC Network will be offered at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines volleyball on Twitter at @MinesVolleyball and on Instagram at @mines.volleyball. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.