CHADRON, Neb. -- After winning both of its matches in a weekend for the first time this season, the Chadron State College volleyball team remains in contention for a spot in the RMAC playoffs. 

While each of the other three contenders for the eighth and final spot split its two matches last Friday and Saturday, the Eagles swept past South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State in the Chicoine Center.

The twin-wins give the Eagles an 8-9 conference record.  At the start of the weekend CSC was 6-9, while Adams State, Colorado Christian and CSU-Pueblo all were 7-8.  All three won once, but Adams State also lost to Western New Mexico, Christian fell to Colorado Mesa and Pueblo was defeated by Metro State.

Now all four teams are 8-9 with one RMAC match to play.  The Eagles will be home to greet Regis at 7 p.m. Saturday while Pueblo entertains Western State on Thursday night, Christian hosts Colorado Mines on Saturday afternoon and Adams State hosts Fort Lewis on Saturday night.

Since the Eagles were victorious when they played Christian and Pueblo, they own those tie-breakers, but Adams State bested CSC three games to one in Chadron on Sept. 19, giving the Grizzlies the tie-breaker advantage.
It doesn't help CSC's chances that the Grizzlies' foe, Fort Lewis, is 2-15, the worst record in the conference.

The Eagles won't be playing a weak team.  Regis is 13-4 in conference play and beat CSC three games to one when they met in Denver a month ago.

No matter how things turn out this weekend, this will go down as the Eagles' winningest season since at least 2007, when they finished 8-11 in the RMAC. CSC has not won nine conference matches since 2003.

Although the Eagles got off to a slow start Saturday night, they played extra well against both of their South Dakota rivals last weekend.  Their hitting percentages of .322 against Mines and .312 against Black Hills were their best of the season.  The only other time they have been over .300 was in early September, when they defeated Texas-Parmian Basin.

The wins over Mines were by scores of 25-17, 25-21 and 25-17. 

Besides hitting effectively with 37 kills and only eight hitting errors, the Eagles also blocked well, coming away with a solo bock and 20 assisted swats, including seven by senior Sina Mauga.

Gaby Varela led with 12 kills and just two hitting infractions.  Rudy Leasau was 10 and one.  Both Mauga and another middle hitter, Alia Brennan, were five and one.

Setter Madison Webb handed out 34 assists, libero Sierra Winkle had 13 digs to pace the hosts.

Saturday night, the Eagles had six hitting errors in the first three minutes of the opening set to fall behind Black Hills 8-1. 

The Yellow Jackets still led 16-9, but the Eagles went on a 10-3 run to tie the tally at 19 and took the set 25-23.  CSC also took the others 25-11, 25-19.

Leasau had 13 kills lead CSC, although she also had eight hitting errors, half of the team's total.  But even when she's not on target, she's impressive.

Varela was in the groove with 11 kills and just one hitting miscue in 15 shots for a .667 figure. Mauga was 9 and 3, Brennan 5 and 1 again and freshman Tatyane Tuialli-Umi 8 and 2. Mauga also had three assisted blocks, Webb dished out 44 assists and Winkle had 15 digs. 

Chadron senior Jamie McLain also hit double digits with 10 digs.