Colorado School of Mines Athletics

Orediggers 5-0 After Five-Set Thriller with SFSU
HAYWARD, Calif. – Mines volleyball survived its first five-set match of the season Thursday evening, outlasting San Francisco State in the Orediggers' first match of the Cal State East Bay Invitational.
 
Freshman setter Kaiya Gilbert provided a little bit of everything for Mines. She had a 32-assist, 18-dig double-double while adding five kills on .556 hitting with six total blocks and one ace. Jenna McLaughlin came up big as well, notching 14 kills at a .406 clip with three aces and six total blocks. Thirteen kills from Cadence McDonald and 11 kills off the hand of Caroline Walden made it a trio of Orediggers in double digits on offense. Furthermore, Naomi Romslo added two service aces and Francesca Nuzzo had three aces. Nuzzo rounded out her evening with 17 digs and Olivia Murillo tallied 12 digs.
 
The Orediggers (5-0) rode 12 total blocks to victory. San Francisco State (0-4) managed to hold Mines to a .247 attack percentage thanks to five blocks. However, the Gators only produced a .199 attack percentage on offense despite 64 kills compared to 55 by the Orediggers. Service aces and digs were relatively even on both sides of the net. Mines' 5-0 start to 2026 matches its start to the 2025 campaign. It's only the fourth time in program history the Orediggers have opened a campaign 5-0.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mines dominated the first set after waiting almost 90 minutes past the original start time. The Orediggers hit .516 as a team and did not commit a single attack error. They also held San Francisco State to a .167 attack percentage and overcame three Gator aces. That production yielded a 25-18 win. Mines knocked down three more blocks and had three aces in the second set but only converted .081 of its attacks in a 25-19 loss. Three aces and two blocks in the third set helped the Orediggers bounce back with a 25-20 victory. A hitting percentage of .355 didn't hurt either. Poor efficiency by Mines on offense helped SFSU win the fourth set and force a decisive fifth frame. In the end, the Orediggers only needed eight kills with one error on 28 attempts, and two blocks, to clinch the match, 15-9.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines improved to 1-1 in the all-time series against San Francisco State, avenging a straight-set loss to the Gators from 2023 at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic.
- The three other 5-0 starts for Mines came in 2025, 2015, and 1996.
- Gilbert's double-double on Thursday was the second of her college career. Her digs, kills, and blocks against SFSU were career highs as well.
- Nuzzo recorded a single-match best thanks to six assists.
- Romslo destroyed her career best in service aces with five. McLaughlin's trio of aces were also a career high.
- Mines Head Coach Jamie Magalei is now 389-147 in her 19th season at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines faces Northern Michigan and Cal State East Bay on Friday during day two of the CSUEB Invitational. Live coverage links will be available 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.