CHADRON, Neb. -- SEPTEMBER 2, 2023 -- South Dakota Mines defeated the Chadron State volleyball team in four sets Saturday afternoon, winning 21-25, 22-25, 25-23 and 23-25.
 
The loss drops CSC to 2-1 on the season. Due to the match occurring in a tournament before conference play, it does not count against conference records.
 
After being tied 6-6 in set one, the Hardrockers scored three straight points and remained in the lead for the rest of the set.
 
Chadron State opened set two with a 5-1 lead and led 22-21 but South Dakota Mines scored the final four points of the match to earn the 25-22 victory.
 
In set three, CSC orchestrated a large comeback to earn the set victory. With the Hardrockers leading 23-11, a Bella Adams kill sparked some energy into the Eagles.
 
Avery Lacy, a freshman from Windsor, Colorado, served 13 straight points and CSC was firing on all cylinders, not allowing a single point from the opponent for the remainder of the set.
 
During the 14-0 run, Adams recorded two kills, Lexi Hurtado had five kills and the Hardrockers committed seven attack errors. Adams, a sophomore from Pueblo, Colorado, had the first and last point of the run, while Hurtado, a graduate student from Aurora, Colorado, recorded four kills in five points.
 
The Eagles led 22-20 in set four but the Hardrockers closed on a 5-1 scoring running, giving them the set and match victory.
 
Chadron State hit .204 as a team in the loss. South Dakota Mines finished with an attack percentage of .181.
 
Hurtado led the Eagles offensively for the third straight game with 14 kills. Aiyana Fujiyama, a junior from Wahiawa, Hawaii added 13 kills and had a match high hitting percentage of .480. Mayson Fago, a senior from Evans, Colorado, also had 13 kills.
 
Alessandra Meoni had a match high 17 kills while hitting .455 for the Hardrockers.
 
South Dakota Mine's Kiley Metzger led both teams with 46 assists. Kendyl Kirkwood, a junior form Fleming, Colorado, had 43 assists for CSC.
 
Defensively, four Eagles finished with double-digit digs. Alondra Hernandez, a junior from Provo, Utah, had 19 to lead CSC and Lacy finished second with 16. Hurtado recorded her third double-double this season with 15 digs, while Kirkwood had her second with 12 digs.
 
Adams led the Eagles with four blocks.
 
Chadron State volleyball returns to action on Friday, September 8, in Winter Park, Florida, when they attend the Rollins College Invitational.