RAPID CITY, South Dakota – After a long five-set match last night, the Regis University volleyball team was back in action this afternoon in search of their fifth-consecutive conference win. Regis (10-4, 5-1 RMAC) made quick work of the South Dakota Mines Hardrockers (5-6, 2-4 RMAC), needing only three sets to put them away, 25-23, 25-18 and 25-13.
 
How It Happened: The first set of the match turned out to be the most competitive of the three as the Rangers won by two points, 25-23, following eight lead changes and huge scoring runs from each team. RU had scoring runs of three (twice), and six as they fought to keep, take back, and extend their leads in the set. Likewise, South Dakota Mines put together runs of four and six in the match, each time taking back the lead from Regis. After the Hardrockers tied the set at 23, back-to-back kills from freshman Taylor McCarthy put the set away 25-23 for a first-set Ranger win.
 
In the second set, there was steady back-and-forth play throughout most of the set, but when it came down to the end, RU locked it up. With the score at 20-18 in favor of Regis, junior Nadine Burbrink put down a swing which fueled a 5-0 run to close out the set. Freshman Bre Skala picked up the assist on Burbrink's kill. The final two points of the set came from McCarthy and freshman Hannah Kepler to give the Rangers a 25-18 second set victory.
 
The final set of the afternoon was RU hammering the proverbial nail in the coffin as they handled their business all throughout the third set. Regis started with a 4-0 run to open the set, and then expanded their lead to 10-2 moments later. As South Dakota Mines chipped back into the set at 12-8, the Rangers scored on five-straight points. Kepler started it off with a kill, Skala followed that with a service ace, and then graduate student Caitlyn Burroway had back-to-back kills before the Hardrockers committed an attack error to give RU their biggest lead of the set to that point, 17-8. Regis was not finished there. The lead reached 12-points at 22-10 after two more kills from Burroway. When SD Mines reached 13 points, the Rangers shut it down. To close out the set it was the Burbrink and LeGrand show. After Burbrink got a kill, junior Mara LeGrand aced her serve to bring up match point 24-13. That is when Burbrink stuffed a shot at the net for a solo block which ended the set 25-13 and sealed the three-set victory for RU.
 
Game Notes: After a career-night from Burroway last night, she followed up with a 15-kill performance in this one, giving her 37 kills in her last two matches. She also tallied 13 digs in the match with a service ace as well. Burbrink registered eight kills and a .250 hitting percentage, a team-best for players with over 10 total attacks in the match. Burbrink (4 BLKS) and LeGrand (2 BLKS) were strong at the net with their blocking and LeGrand finished with 35 assists (11.667 assists per set) and seven digs. Skala and junior Haley Kennedy were solid in the back this afternoon as they each posted 15+ digs. Kennedy led all players with 19 and Skala had 16 which are the most she has had in a match this season. Regis had 65 digs, 42 kills and eight total blocks as a team with a hitting percentage of .156. At the service line, the Rangers collected seven service aces while only committing three service errors.
 
Up Next for the Rangers: After a 2-0 road trip, the Regis University volleyball team will look forward to returning home for their next two matches. The first of which will be this Friday, October 8^th as the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs Mountain Lions make their way to Denver for a 7 p.m. match. The following afternoon, the ThunderWolves of Colorado State University Pueblo will make an appearance for a 3 p.m. match on Saturday, October 9.