CHADRON, Neb. -- With a matchup against Colorado School of Mines on Friday and MSU-Denver on Saturday, the Chadron State College volleyball team will start Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play this weekend in Colorado.
 
First serve Friday in Golden, Colorado will be at 7 p.m., while things will get underway at 4 p.m. Saturday in Denver.
 
The Eagles finished 4-3 in non-conference play after playing in two different tournaments. In the CSC Classic, Chadron State went 2-1 with wins over York University and MSU-Moorhead.
 
Last weekend at the Rollins College Invitational in Winter Park, Florida, CSC finished 2-2.
 
Seniors Lexi Hurtado and Mayson Fago have led CSC at the net offensively, recording 78 and 73 kills, respectively.
 
Junior Kendyl Kirkwood has been the team's setter this season, recording 232 assists and an average of 9.67 a set in seven matches this season.
 
Defensively, junior Alondra Hernandez leads the team with 127 digs. Junior Aiyana Fujiyama and sophomore Bella Adams both have 19 blocks on the season.
 
Friday's opponent, the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers, have a record of 5-3 on the season. On opening weekend, the Orediggers went 2-2 at their home classic, before going 3-1 at a Classic in San Marcos, California. Mines was picked fourth in the conferences preseason poll.
 
Offensively, 2022 RMAC First Teamer Rose Stuewe leads Mines with 100 kills and an average of 3.45 per set while hitting .245. The graduate student has recorded 15 or more kills four times this season, with a season-high of 18 twice.
 
Presley Powell has taken over the setting duties for the Hardrockers, replacing three-time RMAC Setter of the Year, Drew Stokes. Powell has recorded 312 assists this season, an average of 10.76 per set. Powell also leads the team in service aces, with 10.
 
Defensively, Jada Price is the team leader in digs with 118, an average of 4.07 per set, while Morgan McChesney has a team high 21 blocks.
 
Saturday's opponent is conference favorite, MSU-Denver. The Roadrunners hold a record of 5-3 entering the weekend.
 
In a season opening showcase in San Bernardino, California, MSU-Denver finished 3-1. Two of their victories came over the ninth and 15^th ranked teams in the nation, before falling to the 19^th ranked team.
 
Last weekend at the Colorado Premier Challenge, the Roadrunners finished 2-2. Their victories occurred against 22^nd ranked Western Washington and Central Missouri, who was receiving votes. The defeates happened against Lewis, who was receiving votes and West Texas A&M. West Texas, the number one ranked team in the nation, defeated MSU-Denver in five sets.
 
At the net offensively, 2022 RMAC second teamer Riley Anderson and the 2022 RMAC Volleyball Player of the Year, Rylee Hladky, lead the Roadrunners.
 
Anderson has recorded 121 kills, an average of 4.03 per set this season. She leads the team with an attack percentage of .279.
 
Hladky has recorded 68 kills, an average of 2.72 per set and is also second on the team with 62 digs this season, an average of 2.48 per set.
 
MSU-Denver has two setters with over 100 assists. Amela Qershia has 176 this season while Delaney Eckhardt has 130.
 
Abbie McCrimmon has 88 digs to lead the Roadrunners in the back row. In the front row defensively, Ember Canty has 36 blocks, an average of 1.16 per set. Mikayla McClinton is second with 28 blocks while Maddy Williams has 25.
 
This weekends matches will be streamed live at rmacnetwork.com