Box Score SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Yellow Jackets fell, 3-1, on Saturday night to nationally ranked No. 24 Colorado School of Mines. The Orediggers won by scores of, 23-25, 25-15, 25-20, and 25-13.
"Today the team was a much more cohesive unit. We communicated well and were aggressive on offense," head coach
Kristin Carmichael said. "We still have to do a better job controlling the opponent's scoring runs and limiting our forced errors."
In the first set, after battling back-and-forth, the Yellow Jackets tied up the match, 11-11. The Green and Gold went on a 4-0 run to lead the Orediggers, 16-13, creating the first substantial lead of the set. Kills from
Madison Hoopman,
Jadie DeLange, and
Sierra Stugelmeyer kept the momentum going, setting a 22-21 score in favor of the Yellow Jackets. Attack errors from Mines gave the Green and Gold a 25-23 set victory.
Currents shifted as the Orediggers attacked early with a 5-0 run to lead, 7-2, in the second set. Another kill from DeLange and Hoopman brought down Mines lead, 16-9. Unable to cut the gap, the Yellow Jackets fell, 25-15, tying the match, 1-1.
The third set was held back-and-forth action, as neither team set a significant lead. Mines took a 13-10 lead and never let go. With the Yellow Jackets unable to string together a run, the Orediggers took the third set, 25-20, to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
CSM went on a 7-2 run to lead off the third set and make the score, 10-4, in favor of the Orediggers. Mines held on to its lead, eventually taking the set, 25-15, and the match, 3-1.
Offensively, freshman DeLange led the Yellow Jackets with 11 kills and
Laurel Lech with 30 assists. On defense,
Valerie Blake totaled 21 digs. Alongside Blake,
Sierra Ward tallied five blocks.
The Yellow Jackets will head back on the road to battle Chadron State College and Metropolitan State University – Denver on Sept. 28 and 29. Game time is slated at 6 p.m. in Chadron, Neb. on Friday and 5 p.m. in Denver, Colo., on Saturday.
