CHADRON, Neb. -- September 22, 2016 -- This weekend, the scoreboard lights up in Chicoine Center for the first time this year, as Chadron State College volleyball hosts Western State Colorado University and Colorado Mesa University in a pair of home Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference matches.

CSC's Friday evening opponent, Western State, is 5-5 (1-1 RMAC) entering Friday's match. They are allowing opponents this season to hit for a percentage of only .157, good for third-best in the RMAC.

On offense, the Mountaineers are led by senior setter Allison Walker, who is third in the league with 10.5 assists per set. Senior outside hitter Tory Gaherty is 10th overall with 3.31 kills per set, and leads the team with 14 service aces. Senior middle hitter Molly Hothan hit a career-high .750 with 13 kills against Westminster last Friday, which is the top single-match performance in the conference so far this year.

WSCU got off to a quick start in 2013, winning three straight at a tournament in Golden, Colorado. However, they have dropped five of their last seven including two non-conference sweeps to RMAC teams CSU-Pueblo and Adams State in Pueblo. They have played their only nationally-ranked opponent, No. 4 Wayne State, twice in non-conference play, losing 1-3 and 0-3.

Colorado Mesa will be in the "receiving votes" category of the national poll when they meet the Eagles on Saturday. Last weekend Colorado Mesa swept the opening two matches of the RMAC season with wins over Western State (3-1) and Westminster (3-0). After winning the first two sets, the Mavericks dropped the third set but rebounded to win the fourth against Western State.

CMU's McKenzie Edwards, with 3.89 kills per set, leads a group of hitters that ranks the Mavericks fourth in the conference in kills. She also has 10 service aces, second on the team only to Taylor Woods' 11. As a team, the Mavericks rank second in the conference with 1.51 aces per set.

On defense, Colorado Mesa is limiting their opponents to a .139 attack percentage this season which is tied for first in the RMAC.

The Mavericks go into Friday's match with Regis on an eight-match winning streak. Prior to that, they lost their only two matches against ranked opponents, falling 1-3 to both No. 3 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 4 Wayne State.

Both teams defeated CSC last season in their lone meetup with the Eagles. Despite being outhit .179 to .165, CMU's setter Ali Svorinic recorded 33 assists in a 3-0 sweep in Grand Junction, Colorado. The Mountaineers used 10 service aces and a career showing from Walker, who had 51 assists, to down the Eagles 3-1 in Chadron.

The two matches are scheduled for 6 p.m. each evening.