GOLDEN, Colo. – Saturday of Colorado School of Mines Homecoming 2022 saw the #21-ranked Oredigger volleyball team pushed the #2-ranked MSU Denver Roadrunners to the brink before dropping a five-set heartbreaker inside Volk Gym.
 
Megan Neil, Rose Stuewe, and Emily Knight all produced double-digit kills for Mines. Neil had 14 kills on .313 hitting, Stuewe touted 13 kills, and Knight knocked down 10 kills while adding five total blocks as well. Drew Stokes put together a match resume featuring a 44-assist, 14-dig double-double as well as three kills, zero attack errors, three blocks and one service ace. Jada Price and Shannon Perna each notched two service aces and seven digs. Elle Duis anchored the back row with 19 digs.
 
The defensive battle saw the Orediggers (13-5, 8-2 RMAC) held to .173 on the attack while MSU Denver (17-1, 10-0 RMAC) only converted at a .206 clip. As one of the best blocking teams in the country, the Roadrunners made the difference in the match with 13 total blocks, but the Orediggers did manage seven blocks of their own. Nearly every other statistical category was relatively even. The loss snaps Mines' winning streak of eight matches. The victory for MSU Denver extends their streak to 11 straight wins.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
As with any instant classic, Saturday's showdown went back and forth more than a professional tug-of-war team, up and down more than a playground see saw, and with more screaming than an amusement park roller coaster. Game one went to MSU Denver by a score of 25-18 after an early lead kept Mines from a comeback. The Orediggers bounced back and won game two, 25-21, thanks to Neil's five kills along with aces from Veronique Magnan, Perna and Stokes. Game three swung the favor back to the Roadrunners in a 25-20 decision. Frame three featured MSU Denver hitting .438 while Mines hit .314. The difference was three blocks for the visitors and none for the home team.
 
The final two games were as close as anyone could reasonably imagine. Mines edged out a 25-22 win to force a decisive fifth set. It was a balanced effort that led the rally with three kills apiece going to Stuewe, Magnan, and Knight. The Orediggers carried that momentum into the final set and took a 7-5 lead. MSU Denver called a timeout and that made all the difference. After the break, the Roadrunners went on an 8-1 run to take an 13-8 lead. Even so, Mines wasn't done yet. The home team roared back on a 6-1 run of their own to tie the match, but that was where the train stopped. MSU Denver clinched the win on a kill and a block.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 21-66 in the all-time series against MSU Denver, the longest-running series in program history.
- Seven of the last 12 matches between the Orediggers and Roadrunners have gone to five sets.
- Stokes broke the program record for career assists on Saturday night, surpassing Danielle Johnson-Hazlewood for the #1 spot.
- Stokes also produced the 30th double-double of her career.
- Perna notched multiple service aces for a third straight match.
- Stuewe moved over 212 kills for the season.
- Knight's five blocks matched her career high originally set against Western Colorado on Sept. 23, 2022.
- Magnan had career highs in kills (8) and attacks (21).
- Head Coach Magalei now owns a career record of 331-107.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines hosts Chadron State on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Lockridge Arena. Tickets can be purchased online at www.minesathletics.com/tickets. Live coverage will also 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.