GOLDEN, Colo. - #23 Colorado School of Mines outlasted crosstown rival Colorado Christian in a five-set thriller Tuesday night to move to 3-0 in RMAC play.
The Orediggers (9-3) traded sets with the Cougars (4-7, 2-1 RMAC) the entire way, and had to rally back from 8-6 down in the fifth to secure the win by scores of 25-21, 19-25, 25-15, 22-25, and 15-13.
Janice Jin led five Orediggers in double-digit kills with 16, while
Lindsey Jin had 13,
Ellie Monarch 12,
Madeline Behr 11, and
Abby Tiesman 10.
Delaney Duis put up a career-high 53 assists, while
LaRose Currie had a match-high 17 digs. Mines' blocking was especially key as they stuffed 18 attacks, led by Monarch's seven total blocks and Tiesman's five.
Mines had little trouble in a 25-21 first set as Monarch hit seven of her 12 kills in the first, but CCU caught fire in the second to hit .419 and even the match. Things turned around in a big way for Mines in the third, with the home team hitting a blistering .462 while holding CCU to .125 to win 25-15.
CCU pulled away late in the fourth to win 25-22 and force a fifth set, and they threatened to do the same in the finale as they led 8-6 at the turn. Mines quickly turned it around with a quick kill by
Lindsey Jin and a Monarch kill to knot it 8-8. A crucial turning point came at 10-10, where the Orediggers endured a nearly minute-long rally that ended on Tiesman's solo block and gave Mines the momentum in the match. Mines put the match away with a 3-0 run after 11-11, with back-to-back Tiesman kills and a
Lindsey Jin swing making it 14-11. CCU answered match point with two straight points to force a Mines timeout, but
Lindsey Jin ended it with a kill at 15-13.
The Orediggers continue their season Saturday night, hosting Westminster at 5 p.m.
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