CHADRON, Neb. – Behind a historic blocking performance from
Sarah Meservey, Chadron State volleyball – making a habit of highwire comebacks – nearly pulled off another stunner on Thursday night in the Chicoine Center, but fell to South Dakota Mines in five sets, 26-24, 25-12, 23-25, 24-26, 15-12.
The Eagles (7-7) lost for the second time this season to the Hardrockers (10-3), but greatly improved from a 25-15, 29-27, 25-21 SDM sweep back on August 28. Chadron State falls to 1-3 in five-set matches this season and have had all three home matches thus far go five sets.
The story of the match was the Eagle block. Chadron State recorded three solo blocks and 32 block assists for a team performance of 19 total blocks, the most by a CSC team since a 2022 match against these same Hardrockers. The 19 total blocks are tied for the most by an RMAC team in a single match so far this season.
Meservey, a junior middle transfer from Spanish Fork, Utah and Central Wyoming College, tallied 13 total blocks on her own – two solo and 11 block assists. The 13 total blocks are the most by one player in a single match in the RMAC this season and the most in the conference since Regis's Braiziah Dixon had 13 on October 5, 2024.
In Chadron State history, Meservey's 13 blocks ties the individual school record held by Susan Stam in 1988. Stam put up her 13, which included five solos, in just three sets against Rocky Mountain College.
Beyond Meservey's heroics,
Kally Kirkwood had six blocks and
Mataya Ward and
Sydney Strode had five apiece (a career-high for Ward).
Ward led the Eagle offense with 15 kills while
Gibson Beckler had 14 and Kirkwood added 10.
Jillian Donovan had 32 assists while
Cydnie Eskew chipped in 12, and Donovan and
Avery Lacy kept up whatever Hardrocker attempts got past the block with 16 digs each while Beckler had 12.
The blocks canceled out South Dakota Mines's edges in the other statistical categories, as the Hardrockers had more kills (70-54), aces (12-7), assists (66-49) and digs (83-74). South Dakota Mines had 11 blocks of their own.
Chadron State nearly won the first set for the third time in as many tries at home, with a late Eagle rally upstaged by an even later Hardrocker rally. South Dakota Mines led 21-17 in the set before the Eagles used a 7-1 scoring run to take a 24-22 lead with two set points, only for the Hardrockers to win the next four points and steal a 26-24 opening-set win.
The second set was forgettable for CSC, aside from the Eagles dropping a set by the unique score of 25-12 for the second straight match. Chadron State had twice as many errors as kills in set number two, hitting -.156 for the set.
Despite going down two sets to zero, Chadron State never trailed on its way to winning the third. The Eagles had six blocks in the set and led 5-1, 11-4 and 18-12 before hanging on for a 25-23 win.
Set four was an absolute offensive clinic. South Dakota Mines had 20 kills in the set, but Chadron State countered with zero errors and 17 kills on 44 attempts for a .386 set hitting percentage. The Hardrockers had five match points when they had a 24-19 lead, but the Eagles would not be denied in extending the match.
First,
Kiera Schra hammered home a kill and an SDM misfire breathed more life into the Eagles at 24-21. Meservey stonewalled a Hardrocker for a solo block, then
Jillian Donovan fed
Gibson Beckler for a kill and the lead was down to one, 24-23.
Meservey and Kirkwood came together for a combo block to tie the score, and Donovan found a service ace to give CSC the lead at 25-24 before another Hardrocker error completed a stunning 7-0 run and gave the Eagles the set. The fourth frame featured six tie scores and three lead changes, both match highs.
Similarly to fifth sets in previous home matches against Colorado Christian and CSU Pueblo, the Eagles unfortunately found themselves down big early in the decisive fifth set. After two kills and an ace, South Dakota Mines led 8-2.
Chadron State cut the lead to two points at 8-6, 9-7 and 14-12, with one final block courtesy of Ward and Meservey saving another match point, but a kill ended the fifth at 15-12 and gave the Hardrockers the win.
As a result of playing Tuesday and Thursday this week, Chadron State has over a week of rest before its next match, also at home on Friday, October 2 against Adams State. First serve is set for 6 p.m.
