Volleyball earns first RMAC wins

The Chadron Eagles’ volleyball team picked up their first two RMAC wins Saturday in Gunnison, Colorado, sweeping Western State in three sets, 25-18, 25-21, and 25-14.

Western looked to bounce back after a first set loss to the Eagles, but continuously trailed through the second before a five point rally earned them a 13-12 lead. That lead, however, was quickly erased by a service error, and an attack error on the next rally giving CSC their final lead of the set. 

The Eagles then cruised to a set and match win on the back of a nine-point rally late in the third.

Shelby Schouten, junior of Alton, Iowa, led the Eagles offense in the match with nine kills, while teammate Aracely Hernandez, freshman of Greeley, Colorado, had eight. Eagles’ sophomore Chandler Hageman had a .500 hitting percentage with seven kills on 14 attempts.

Setter Madison Webb, senior of Loveland, Colorado had 29 assists and Ashton Burditt, junior of Spearfish, South Dakota, had 18 digs.

On Friday, the Eagles’ were on the wrong side of the sweep after falling in three sets to Colorado Mesa, in Grand Junction, 25-20, 25-14, and 25-16. 

The dominant outing was aided by an outstanding performance by Mesa sophomore Kasie Gilfert who had 20 kills in the match. Gilfert, whose season hitting percentage is second in the RMAC only to teammate Camille Smith, hit .667 in the match. Smith hit .476 and added 12 kills.

Chadron’s Brooke Gardner, junior of Princeville, Illinois, led the eagles with seven kills. Webb was credited with 26 assists and Burditt led all Eagles with 19 digs.

On Tuesday the Eagles traveled to Wayne State to face the nationally ranked Wildcats who defeated the Eagles in three sets, 25-11, 25-18, and 25-18.

This weekend the Eagles face Black Hills State, on Friday, and South Dakota Mines, on Saturday, in homecoming games at Chicoine Center. Matches are set to begin at 6 p.m. each night.