GOLDEN, Colo. – Junior middle blocker Abby Tiesman helped the Colorado School of Mines Volleyball team improve to 4-0 Saturday as the Orediggers swept Lee and took down Sioux Falls in five sets to close out the 2018 Oredigger Classic.

Tiesman finished the day with 27 kills, 11 blocks and eight digs while hitting .462 on her way to 2018 Oredigger Volleyball Classic MVP honors. Fellow Orediggers Drew Stokes and Lindsey Jin joined Tiesman on the all-tournament team. Stokes spent her Saturday handing out 89 assists while also helping out on four blocks. Jin turned in 20 kills and four service aces over the final two matches.
 
Stokes was not the only freshman with an outstanding performance on the final day. Fellow newcomer Amanda Donais continued the hot start to her career with a team-high 28 kills while adding 17 digs. Megan Neil turned in a 19-kill, 11-dig day and Elle Duis led Mines with 54 digs over two matches.
 
As a team, Mines posted a Saturday attacking percentage of .307 while holding its opponents to .207. The Orediggers cashed in a total of 11 service aces and put up 14 blocks at a pace of 1.75 blocks per set.
 
Match One – Mines 3, Lee 0
Outside of the first point in sets one and two, Mines led the Flames (0-4) from start to finish. The Orediggers hit .406 in the opening game, cruising to a 25-14 win. Set two was less efficient with a .273 attack percentage, but a match-high 22 digs with two blocks and a service ace gave the home team a 25-21 win and a commanding 2-0 lead. The final set was Mines' most dominant as it hit .500, recorded two blocks and two aces on its way to a 25-10 victory.
 
Donais led the Orediggers in the first match with 14 kills on 32 attempts and seven digs. Tiesman and Neil tallied nine kills each as Jin and Taylor Hicken smashed down eight. Duis was the star on defense with 25 digs while Tiesman assisted on three of the Orediggers' five blocks.
 
Match Two – Mines 3, Sioux Falls 2
Arguably the match of the weekend, Mines' second contest was the only one of the tournament to go five sets. Game one was all Orediggers as the home squad outhit Sioux Falls (2-2) .371-.200 on the way to a 25-17 win.
 
However, Mines' 1-0 lead was short-lived as the Cougars turned the tables and dominated set two, hitting .500 and holding the Orediggers to -.034 on the attack. Sioux Falls' 25-13 victory evened the match at one game apiece.
 
In set three, Mines' stormed back with a vengeance on both sides of the ball. The Orediggers committed just three errors on the attack and racked up a total of four blocks to claim the game 25-18, but Sioux Falls responded with four blocks of its own in set four to take a 25-17 victory and set up a decisive fifth set.
 
Mines opened the final game on a 5-1 run and never looked back. The Orediggers did not surrender the lead despite a late rally from Sioux Falls. Tiesman racked up five kills on 10 attempts in the deciding game to lead Mines to victory.
 
NOTABLES
- The Orediggers have started 4-0 three times in the last four years.
- Tiesman's 18 kills and eight blocks against Sioux Falls both mark single-match career highs.
- Tiesman led the tournament field in hitting percentage, swinging .417 with 55 kills on 115 attempts.
- Stokes led all setters with 189 assists over four matches at a rate of 12.60 assists per set.
- Duis closed her weekend with the second-most digs, grinding out 77 at a pace of 5.13 per set.
- The Orediggers led all teams at the 2018 Oredigger Classic in hitting percentage (.305), assists (214) and kills (227).
- Head Coach Jamie Magalei is 236-81 in 11 seasons at Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines heads to Indianapolis Aug. 31 – Sept. 1 for the UIndy Tournament. The Orediggers open their weekend against Harding Friday at 11:30 a.m. (ET). Live stats and video will be available at MinesAthletics.com.
 
Keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all season long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.
 
2018 Oredigger Volleyball Classic All-Tournament Team
MVP: Abby Tiesman, Mines
 
Drew Stokes, Mines
Amber Rowoldt, Palm Beach Atlantic
Lindsey Ray, Cal State East Bay
Lindsey Jin, Mines
Bria Barfnecht, Sioux Falls
Makenna Rockeman, Sioux Falls
Molly Burkhardt, Palm Beach Atlantic
MaKayla Beebe, Lee