Volleyball team closes out home season
The sixth ranked Colorado School of Mines Orediggers totaled 53 kills with three players scoring in double figures to sweep CSC Friday at Armstrong Gym, 25-22, 25-15, 25-19. The Orediggers won their 10th straight while the Eagles dropped their 12th straight.
Middle Blockers Alanna Winfield, sophomore of Houston, Texas, and Megan Peterson, redshirt sophomore of St. Louis, Missouri, led the Orediggers scoring 12.5 points each. Not far behind, Outside Hitter Sarah Pekarek, senior of Plymouth, Minnesota, tailled 12 points. Peterson, the RMAC attack percentage leader going into the weekend, increased her average with a .458 attack percentage Friday to lead the Orediggers. She tallied 12 kills to tie a team lead with Winfield.
The Eagles and Orediggers battled through the end of the first set. There were 16 ties and four lead changes. The biggest lead of the first set was three points. The Orediggers took the set 25-22 and carried that momentum into the second set.
The Eagles struggled in the second set allowing the Orediggers to score four straight points to start the set before getting on the scoreboard. The Eagles would get within two points early, but a 7-1 Oredigger run would put them up 11-3. The Orediggers were never threatened after that point taking the set 25-15. Defensively, CSC allowed Colorado School of Mines to hit over .200 in all three sets.
Defensive Specialist Alyssa Bauer, senior of Rapid City, South Dakota, led all competitors with 21 digs. Hitting-wise CSC totaled 31 kills, but committed 18 total errors to Mines 14. Outside Hitter Erika Roybal, senior of Denver, led the Eagles with 10 kills; Middle Hitter Lelalelei Nomura, junior of Pago Pago, American Samoa, added seven.
The final set would be similar to the first; there were five lead changes and four ties. The Eagles lead early 4-3, but the Orediggers would score six straight to go up 9-4 before the Eagles scored again. CSC would only lead one more time at 13-12 before Colorado School of Mines outscored them 13-6 to complete the sweep 25-19.
The Eagles record falls to 3-21 overall and 2-12 in conference play.
Saturday was the final home volleyball game of the season, and CSC fell to Metro State University of Denver.
Saturday’s match featured Metro State sweeping CSC in three, widening the scoring spread each set.
Chadron clung tight in the first set, even outhitting Metro State .241 to .235, but fell short 27-25.
Metro took an early lead in the second set. However, CSC’s Outside Hitter Alexis Farris, freshman of Blair, almost brought the Eagles back with a five point serving streak, including one ace. Farris also contributed five kills overall. The second set ended 25-17 Metro.
CSC couldn’t seem to find their groove in the third set and were defeated quickly 25-14.
Metro’s Outside Hitter Lauren Quijano, senior of Wildomar, California, marked a match-high 14 kills. Roybal tallied a team-high 10 kills. Nomura added eight more. Setter Justine Ackie, junior of Phoenix, delivered 17 assists and two kills. Bauer dug up 14 balls.
“Metro is one of the best teams in the conference,” Roybal said. “But we kept up with them.”
Being the Eagles last home game, it was senior night. The coaches honored the seniors before the match started, giving them flowers and picture frames.
“It’s sad that that’s the last game I’ll ever play in Armstrong,” Roybal said. “Looking back, I wouldn’t have chosen to go down any path other than Chadron, because this team is like family.”
There are two games left this season, sending the Eagles to Colorado this weekend to take on the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs at 7 p.m., Friday, and Denver to play Regis University at 5 p.m., Saturday.