GOLDEN, Colo. – Oredigger junior
Shannon Perna played a key role in powering the #11 Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team to a 2-0 start on Friday at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic with 3-0 wins over Western Colorado and Northern State (S.D.) inside Lockridge Arena.
At the annual event sponsored by Courtyard and Residence Inn by Marriott, Perna powered her way to 19 kills through two matches and six sets while hitting .368 with nine digs and six blocks for an average of 1.0 blocks per set. Most remarkable were her nine service aces across Friday's two matches. Adding to Perna's all-around performance were
Emily Knight and
Rose Stuewe combining for 43 kills while hitting .486 from the middle and .289 on the outside, respectively. All-American setter
Drew Stokes chipped in 79 assists at a clip of 13.17 assists per set. Fellow stalwart veteran
Elle Duis proved reliable and remarkable with 31 digs across six sets while also adding one kill on one attempt.
As a team, Mines (2-0) closed the opening day of the 2022 season hitting .342 as a team while holding Western Colorado (0-2) and Northern State (0-2) to a combined .162 on the attack. The Orediggers' efficiency is notable after they led the nation in hitting percentage in 2021. Head Coach
Jamie Magalei's squad also combined for 17 service aces, averaging 2.83 per set along with 10 blocks in six frames.
HOW IT HAPPENED
While both of Friday's wins came in straight sets, the roadmap was very different from one match to the next. The opening showdown against RMAC foe Western Colorado in a non-conference affair featured 20 ties and nine lead changes. Through the first two games,
Megan Neil and Knight combined for 13 kills while Duis ground out 14 total digs in wins of 25-18 and 25-20. The final set marked WCU's best effort as the Mountaineers pushed Mines to extra points. However, Stokes' 15 assists in the final frame led to four kills apiece from
Morgan McChesney, Stuewe and Knight while Duis and
Meghan Slaninka combined for 10 digs. Despite facing set point at 25-26, the Orediggers held strong and used a Stuewe kill to pull even. A Western miscue made it 27-26 and a solo block by Perna clinched the victory.
The Friday finale was all Mines from start to finish even though Northern State entered the season receiving votes in the national poll. There were only two ties and no lead changes through the entire match. Duis' 10 digs and Stuewe's six kills on .444 hitting set the tone in a 25-18, game-one win. That set the stage for Perna's three service aces and five kills on five attempts in set two as the hosts cruised to a 25-15 victory and a 2-0 lead in the match. The Orediggers closed out the match in clinical fashion. In the final set alone, Stokes dished out 16 assists, Knight, Perna and Stuewe combined for 13 kills, and Mines hit .593 as a team in the 25-15, match-clinching victory.
NOTABLES
- Since 2014, Mines is 25-4 with 17 sweeps at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic.
- Overall, the hosts are 52-14 with a set record of 171-69 in their own tournament since it started in 2005.
- Mines is now 37-36-1 in the all-time series against Western Colorado while sitting 2-3 against Northern State.
-
Meghan Slaninka,
Hailey Aigner,
Morgan McChesney, and
Veronique Magnan all made their collegiate debuts in an Oredigger uniform.
- Slaninka totaled 10 digs and two aces. Aigner had 12 digs and two aces. McChesney knocked down 13 kills while hitting .400 with four blocks and two aces. Magnan produced one block.
- Mines is 2-0 for the eighth time since 2014.
- Duis' lone kill was the fourth of her career and clinched a set victory.
- Knight's 11 kills marked a career high for the transfer from Iowa Western CC.
- Perna surpassed or matched all but one of her career highs on Friday.
- Coach Magalei now owns a career record of 320-102.
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines closes out the Oredigger Classic on Saturday with matches against #22 Southwest Minnesota State and #19 UT Tyler at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively. Live stats and video will be available 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.
