GOLDEN – The No. 12 Colorado School of Mines volleyball team will look to capture the program's first-ever RMAC Tournament Championship on Saturday when the squad hosts second-seeded and 14th-ranked Regis at Lockridge Arena at 7 p.m.
Mines (25-5) enters the championship following a hard-fought, 3-1 victory over Colorado Christian in the semifinals on Friday evening.
The Rangers (24-8) pulled off a 3-2 comeback victory over third-seeded and 21st-ranked Adams State on Friday after trailing by a 2-0 score.
Friday's victory over the Cougars was the first for the Orediggers in their last eight contests that did not end in a straight-set Mines victory. The squad also pushed its current winning streak to nine and has recorded wins in 19 of its last 20 matches.
Also with the win, Mines pushed its season record at Lockridge Arena to 15-1 on the season, though the Orediggers have been nearly as potent away from home with a 9-1 record on the road. Three of the squad's five losses this season have come on a neutral court.
This is the first RMAC Tournament Championship appearance in program history and the winner will likely host the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament in two weeks as Regis is currently No. 1 in the rankings, while Mines currently sits at No. 2.
The NCAA will be producing a Division II Volleyball selection show to air this Sunday, November 19, at 10 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.
Mines' 25 victories this season have set a new school record – topping the previous mark of 23 set during the 2009 campaign.
Senior Jackie Stabell led the team in the win over CCU with 20 kills on a .543 attack percentage while adding four blocks and five digs defensively. She has now posted 10 or more kills in 24 of Mines' 30 matches this season to bring her season kill total to 379.
Melanie Wannamaker, a Second Team All-RMAC selection, added 14 kills on a .226 attack percentage while adding three blocks on the defensive end. Senior and Third Team All-RMAC selection Holly Hutchison posted nine kills on a .600 attack percentage in addition to a team-high five blocks.
Freshman Danielle Johnson-Hazlewood added 47 assists and a team-high 14 digs for the 12th double-double of her short career. She also tied a season high with three kills and added one service ace.
Regis enters the match having won five-straight contests, as well as 17-of-19. The squad's only losses during that span came at the hands of NCAA Division I Wyoming by a score of 3-1, and a 3-0 setback to Mines in Denver on November 2.
Mines is 12-24 in matchups against Regis since the 1992 season, including four-straight victories by the Orediggers in the series. Mines has defeated a nationally-ranked Regis team in each win of the current four-match win streak in the series, including both regular-season matchups this season.
All Colorado School of Mines students with a valid BlasterCard will receive free admission to the match, courtesy of the CSM Department of Student Life.
Adults (age 18 through 64) are $10, while senior citizens (age 65 and older), non-CSM students with valid student ID and children (age 8 through 17) are $5. Children seven years of age and under are free.
