GREELEY, Colo. — Mines Men's Club Volleyball returned to tournament competition Sunday at the University of Northern Colorado Tournament, with Blue finishing fifth overall in the Gold Bracket and Silver competing in the Silver Bracket. Blue finished the tournament with a 5-3 set record, while Silver concluded its weekend with a 1-8 set record.
Blue opened its day against Wyoming A at 9:30 a.m. and started strong, taking the first set 25-13. After dropping the second set 19-25 following a slow start, the Orediggers responded in the third set, winning 15-7 to secure a 2-1 match victory and get their tournament underway on a positive note.
Blue followed its opening victory with a pool-play matchup against Denver B at 10:45 a.m. The Orediggers delivered a strong performance, winning the first set 25-10 and the second 25-13 before closing out the match with a 15-11 victory in the third set. The win completed a strong pool-play showing and advanced Blue into Gold Bracket competition.
Silver began the tournament for Mines with an 8:30 a.m. matchup against CU Boulder B. The Orediggers battled through three sets and continued to compete throughout the match but ultimately fell 0-3.
Silver returned to the court at 10:45 a.m. to face UCCS A in its final pool-play match. Despite another determined effort, the Orediggers were unable to secure a set and fell 0-3, sending the squad into Silver Bracket competition for the elimination rounds.
Blue advanced to the Gold Bracket quarterfinals, where it faced UCCS A at 3 p.m. The Orediggers battled the eventual tournament champions in two tightly contested sets. Blue narrowly dropped the opening set 22-25 before falling 23-25 in the second, ending its run in the Gold Bracket. Despite the quarterfinal loss, Blue finished fifth overall with a 5-3 set record, building on its third-place finish at the season-opening UCCS Tournament.
Silver also took the court at 3 p.m., facing UNC A in the opening round of the Silver Bracket. The Orediggers fought through a competitive opening set before responding with a strong performance in the second. However, Silver was unable to carry that momentum into the deciding set and ultimately fell in three sets, bringing its tournament run to a close with a 1-8 set record.
The Northern Colorado Tournament provided both Mines squads with another opportunity to gain competitive experience and continue developing early in the 2026-27 season. Blue demonstrated its ability to compete in closely contested matches and secured another top-five finish, while Silver continued working through the challenges of a demanding tournament schedule.
With another weekend of competition complete, Mines will look to build on the lessons learned in Greeley as both squads continue preparing for the remainder of the season.
