DENVER – The match between the Regis University volleyball team (16-4, 11-1 RMAC) and the No. 7 ranked Colorado School of Mines Orediggers (17-3, 10-2 RMAC) lived up to the hype on Saturday evening as the two teams clashed through a lengthy five-set match. Regis came out with the 3-2 win 25-22, 14-25, 25-19, 23-15, and 21-19.
 
How It Happened: Things got off to a great start for the Rangers as they took care of business in the first set 25-22. RU trailed 17-12 before they put together a 4-0 run to close within a single point of Mines. They reclaimed the lead amid another 4-0 run to take a 21-19 lead. The Orediggers climbed right back in to tie the set at 21, but three-straight kills from Regis set up set point. Junior setter Mara LeGrand set up sophomore Halle Theis with a pass on the outside and Theis' shot rattled off the top of the net and dropped to the floor for the first set win.
 
The Rangers backpedaled in set two, falling behind 8-1 after nine points had been scored. It was an uphill battle after they fell into that hole. Mines cruised to a 25-14 win in the second set, but RU was gearing up for the third set. The third set was a tug of war between the two teams. Much like the first set, Regis found themselves trailing 14-10 and 15-11 before they started to gain momentum. After a solo block and a kill from junior Nadine Burbrink on back-to-back plays, freshman Bre Skala aced her serve to cut the deficit to one, 15-14. A few points later, the score was tied at 16 all. The Rangers took an 18-17 lead which was extended to 24-18 following six-straight points from RU. Set three went to the home team, 25-19, after the Orediggers errored on an attack at the net.
 
The fourth set was another fight to the end. When it appeared Mines was going to run away with the set 19-14, Regis stormed back to tie the set at 19. With set point in favor of the visitors, the Orediggers got a set ending kill to force a decisive fifth set.
 
It was exactly what the audience paid for. An incredibly competitive match between two of the top-three teams in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). In the fifth set, tied 3-3, the Rangers rattled off four-straight points to take a 7-3 lead. RU held that lead through and 11-10 score, but Mines tied it up at 11. RU brought up match-point 14-13, but that was countered with two quick points from the opposition as they brought up their first set point of the fifth. In total, Regis had five match-point opportunities in the final set, and the Orediggers had two of their own that did not amount to much. With the fifth and final match point, 20-19, LeGrand set up a sliding Burbrink for the match-winning kill behind an erupting home crowd.
 
Game Notes: A fan of volleyball could not have asked for a better match between two powerhouses in the conference. Burroway topped the leaderboard with 17 kills (.140 H%), leading all players. She also dug up 11 shots from Mines' hitters, giving her a fifth-straight double-double. Sophomore Maddy Mallory was another key to the win as she had 13 kills (.364 H%) and four total blocks. Theis also had 13 kills with a .235 hitting percentage. Burbrink led all players with a .409 hitting percentage as she chipped in with 12 kills of her own. Senior Rachel Siurek (.231 H%) tallied nine kills and LeGrand had six. Junior libero, Haley Kennedy, posted 16 digs in the effort with three assists and a service ace to her name. A night after she went off for 14.0 assists per set, LeGrand had 55 assists against No. 7 ranked Mines for a 11.0 assists per set average.  
 
Up Next for the Rangers: The Regis University volleyball team has taken sole possession of the number two spot in the RMAC Volleyball Standings behind the nation's No. 1 ranked team, the Metropolitan State University of Denver Roadrunners. Interestingly enough, the Rangers will match up with the top-ranked Roadrunners next Friday, October 29th at MSU Denver at 7 p.m. The following night, RU will visit the Cougars of Colorado Christian University.