DENVER, Colo. – Mines volleyball saw its 2025 campaign end Friday evening as the seventh-seeded Orediggers fell to third-seeded Angelo State, 3-0, in the second round of the NCAA tournament at the Auraria Event Center.
True freshman
Cadence McDonald was the top performer for Mines (21-8) on offense. She put down 11 kills on .364 hitting and bolstered her game resume with one ace, one block, and three digs. Also notable on offense was
Abbie O'Shay's .308 attack percentage leading to five kills, and
Jenna McLaughlin's eight kills. Defensively,
Jada Price posted 12 digs at a clip of 4.0 digs per set, and McLaughlin tallied two total blocks.
Hailee Martinez delivered 26 assists, eight digs and one service ace. Angelo State was led by region player of the year Madi Parrish who produced 14 kills on 3.93 hitting with 10 digs. Gabi Ashcraft also gifted the RamBelles five service aces.
The Orediggers' lone advantage in the box score was three blocks compared to two by ASU. Angelo State hit .325 as a team and posted a total of nine aces. The loss ends a season that saw Mines return to the RMAC tournament and NCAA tournament while cracking 20 wins, all for the first time since 2022. Friday marked the final collegiate match for
Amanda Donais Dudley,
Morgan McChesney,
Hailee Martinez,
Allison Jansen,
Jada Price, and
Kate Kudlac.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mines rode into Friday's second-round match riding high hopes from its first-round upset of second-seeded UCCS. The Orediggers hung tough early in the first set thanks to a couple blocks from McLaughlin, Donais Dudley, and McChesney with an additional kill by McLaughlin. However, Angelo State used a quick 5-0 run to take a 14-8 lead. Mines couldn't rally back and dropped the opening frame, 25-19 despite five kills off the hand of McLaughlin and six digs from
Olivia Murillo.
The Orediggers rallied from an 8-2 deficit in the second set and tied the game at 12-12. Eventually, ASU closed out another 25-19 win while riding a 5-1 run.
Abbie O'Shay was Mines' star in the effort with her four kills on .571 hitting. McDonald did her best to keep the Orediggers from being swept, hammering out six kills on .455 hitting in the third set. In the end, Angelo State's surgical attack clinched a 25-14 win and the match. The RamBelle's earned a spot in the regional final (Sweet 16) where they will face either top-seeded MSU Denver or fourth-seeded West Texas A&M.
NOTABLES
- Friday marked Mines' seventh trip to the second round of the NCAA tournament since 2015.
- Donais Dudley closed her non-traditional, Cinderella career with 1,151 kills, 981 digs, 240 total blocks, 108 assists, and 106 service aces.
- Donais Dudley's 106 career aces rank #8 in program history.
- Jansen's collegiate career included 254 kills, 90 blocks, and 20 aces.
- Kudlac closes her time at Mines with 199 kills, 27 blockss, and 45 digs.
- In just one season as an Oredigger, Martinez posted 1,081 assists, 256 digs, 26 blocks, 32 aces, and 27 kills.
- McChesney's career numbers were 428 kills, 176 blocks, 81 digs, and 14 aces.
- Price wrapped her backrow career boasting 1,220 digs which rank #9 in program history. She also had 79 aces and 190 assists.
- Mines Head Coach
Jamie Magalei is now 384-147 after 18 full seasons at the helm.
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines' 2025 season has ended. Postseason awards and the Orediggers' signing class will be announced in the coming days and weeks at www.minesathletics.com.
Fans can keep up with Mines volleyball on "X" (formerly Twitter) at @minesvolleyball and on Instagram at @mines.volleyball. They can also follow all of Mines Athletics year around on Facebook, "X", and Instagram at @MinesAthletics.
