#6 Mines (5-1, 5-1 RMAC) at Westminster (1-5, 3-5 RMAC) – Thursday, 6 p.m. – Salt Lake City [Live Stats] [Live Video]
 

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HEADED WEST
The #6-ranked Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team is headed to Utah on Thursday for a match at Westminster in Salt Lake City. Mines rolls into the contest riding a four-match winning streak while WC is fresh off its first RMAC win. After last weekend's pod adjustment, the Orediggers look forward to their fifth straight one-match week. With only one actual pod so far this season, Mines should enter the showdown well rested.
 
NO FANS ALLOWED
No spectators are allowed inside Behnken Field House. Additionally, the Colorado School of Mines policy of not admitting spectators will continue for all sports – including volleyball – until further notice. Mines Athletics will continuously re-evaluate this policy as government guidance changes in the future.
 
FREE ON THE RMAC NETWORK
Fans and teams alike are certainly disappointed that no spectators are allowed to attend matches. However, everyone can keep up with each point live and for free on the RMAC Network at www.minesathletics.com/tv. The RMAC Network can also be found on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Android TV devices by going to the app store and searching "RMAC". Additionally, live stats are available with links above and on the volleyball schedule page at www.minesathletics.com.
 
SUCCESS IN THE SPRINGS
Last weekend, Mines was supposed to play in RMAC pod hosted by Black Hills State in Spearfish, S.D. Instead, the match against BHSU was postponed and the Orediggers headed to Colorado Springs to face UCCS which was the third team in the pod. Mines swept passed the Mountain Lions at the Gallogly Events Center thanks to a 10-kill performances from Amanda Doanis. The junior outside hitter also added five digs, two service aces, two assists and one block while hitting .278. Drew Stokes handed out 32 assists and added two aces with four kills while swinging .667. Elle Duis finished the match touting 13 digs over three sets. It marked the Orediggers' 14th consecutive victory against the Mountain Lions and third sweep of the season.
 
SCOUTING WESTMINSTER
Westminster welcomes Mines to Salt Lake City having already played eight matches thanks to a couple non-conference showdowns with UCCS and Northwest Nazarene. Most recently, the Griffins earned their first conference win of the season by taking a five-set thriller from Adams State at last weekend's pod hosted by Regis. Thus far, Westminster's offensive leaders are Audrey Green, Lydia Miller and Malinda Messner. The trio averages over 2.00 kills per set each, and Messner is hitting .307 on the attack. Bri Mortensen handles a majority of the setting duties and averages 7.42 assists per set. Also notable on offense are Green's 15 service aces. Defensively, numerous Griffins pitch in with digs but are led by Holland Vande Merwe who boasts 88 digs this season. At the net, Messner touts 21 blocks at 0.68 blocks per set. As a team, Westminster converts at a rate of .210 on the attack and rank #4 in the nation with 56 service aces. The Griffins also rank #6 in the nation with 60.0 blocks.
 
FROM PARSONS TO GRIFFINS
Westminster College athletic teams were originally nicknamed the Parsons as an ode to the school's religious (Presbyterian) roots. However, in 1979, the institution went from spiritual to mythical as it became known athletically as the Griffins. Also spelled griffon or gryphon, the school's mascot is a legendary creature featuring the body, tail and back legs of a lion while also sporting the head and wings of an eagle. It is not a real animal and seems appropriate for the school as Westminster College sports teams became mythical in 1967-68 with financial crisis forcing the discontinuation of intercollegiate athletics. The program experienced rebirth starting in the 1990's and eventually joined NCAA Division II and the RMAC in 2015-16. And now you know.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Mines has never lost to Westminster in volleyball. The Orediggers are 5-0 in the all-time series which began with WC's transition to NCAA Division II in 2015. Mines won that first match on Nov. 6, 2015, in 3-0 fashion. Since then, the Orediggers have swept the Griffins two more times. Last season in Salt Lake City, Mines claimed a 3-1 victory thanks to a 13-kill, 11-dig double-double from Amanda Donais who also racked up four aces. Three other Orediggers recorded double-digit kills as well while Mines hit exactly .300 as a team. Mines and Westminster have never met more than once in any given season.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team rose two spots to #6 in the nation on Wednesday in the fourth release of the American Volleyball Coaches' Association Division II Coaches' Top-25. Mines' move comes after two straight weeks at #8 and a sweep of UCCS on Sunday in Colorado Springs. The victory extended the Orediggers' win streak to four straight matches. With the rise, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference occupies three of the top six spots in the national poll. MSU Denver leads the way at #4 with Colorado Mesa at #5. Additionally, Regis checked in at #24 which marks a two-spot fall despite four straight wins and three consecutive sweeps for the Rangers. Hillsdale remained #1 in the nation with a 9-0 record and 34 out of 47 first-place votes.
 
GROUND RULES
After the NCAA canceled all of its 2020 fall championships, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference presidents voted to postpone a majority of the fall seasons – including volleyball – until the spring. In the interim, conference and institutional personnel developed the rules and processes to return to play and the requirements to hold a RMAC Volleyball Tournament. All teams competing this spring will undergo weekly testing, and every person in the gym for a match will wear masks except the players actively competing on the floor. The schedule features 13 conference matches for each team. New Mexico Highlands has preemptively opted out of the season leaving 14 programs competing. In order to declare an RMAC champion and to hold a conference tournament, at least five teams must complete 50 percent of their originally approved schedule. Up to eight teams can qualify for the RMAC postseason. There is still no NCAA Volleyball postseason for the 2020-21 academic year.
 
UP NEXT
Mines hosts its own RMAC pod on Sunday, Marc 7, with Adams State and Chadron State joining the Orediggers at Lockridge Arena. No spectators are allowed. Live stats and video will be available for free at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can follow the Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team on Twitter at @MinesVolleyball and on Instagram at @Mines_Volleyball. Fans can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all season long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.