DENVER, Colo. – Oredigger volleyball went up against the defending national champions Saturday and dropped a 3-1 decision to #18-ranked MSU Denver.
Sophia Davila led the team with 11 kills and three service aces. She made it a double-double thanks to 14 digs.
Cadence McDonald and
Jenna McLaughlin both notched nine kills with McDonald hitting .421.
Francesca Nuzzo came up with 20 digs while
Olivia Murillo posted 19 digs and
Kaiya Gilbert finished touting 17 digs. McLaughlin led a stout block with five total stuffs and
Emily Rohrer was right behind touting four total blocks. Davila chipped in three solo blocks as well.
As a team, the Orediggers (7-3, 0-2 RMAC) flexed on defense and in the service game with 12 total blocks and six service aces. In comparison, MSU Denver (5-4, 1-0 RMAC) had three service aces and eight total blocks. The two sides were nearly even in digs. However, the Roadrunners put down 68 kills and totaled 79 points while Mines finished with 47 kills and 65 points. There was a difference of seven in attack errors as the home team hit .205 and the Orediggers were limited to a .167 attack percentage.
HOW IT HAPPENED
A hot start for Mines allowed the visitors to claim a 25-20 win in the opening set. They trailed early but rallied after trailing 14-9. Four error-free kills by McLaughlin fueled the 1-0 lead in the match. The Orediggers parlayed the momentum into a 6-1 and then 10-5 lead at the start of the second frame. However, the Roadrunners staged their own rally and closed out a 25-21 win to even the match. The third and fourth sets were tied nine times apiece, and the final results were the same with MSU Denver grabbing 26-24 wins. Across the final three games, Mines was held to attack percentages of .103, .156, and .111.
NOTABLES
- Saturday marked MSU Denver's first win over Mines since the Orediggers swept the Roadrunners in Volk Gym last October.
- The all-times series between Mines and MSU Denver is now 73-22 in favor of the Roadrunners.
-
Tori Garrett made her 2026 debut for the Orediggers on Saturday.
- McDonald moved over 200 career kills.
- Nuzzo now boasts exactly 1,000 digs for her career which includes two seasons at Northeastern Junior College in Colorado.
- Davila's 11 kills, 14 digs, and three blocks were collegiate single-match highs. She also matched her career best in aces.
- Murillo notched 19 digs in a match for the second time in her collegiate career. The last time was against Westminster on Nov. 1, 2024.
- Mines Head Coach
Jamie Magalei is now 391-150 in her 19th season at the helm.
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines heads to New Mexico Highlands and Adams Sate next Friday and Saturday.
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.
