Oredigger Volleyball shuts out Notre Dame de Namur

{gallery}1011/i6/vball1{/gallery}Steven Wooldridge / Oredigger

The Colorado School of Mines volleyball team shut out Notre Dame de Namur University Tuesday evening at Lockridge Arena, winning 3-0.

Most of the first period was spent battling back and forth between the two teams, with each side struggling to pull away. However, led by a strong defense and numerous kills by Melanie Wannamaker (.471 hitting %), Amanda Massey, and Anna Padget-Shields, culminating in an exuberant somersault from Alese Madenwald, the Orediggers soon took the lead. Senior Jackie Stabell (.533 hitting %) finished out the period with a sound serve, giving CSM the win 25-18.

The NDNU Argonauts scored the first two points of the second period, but did not hold the lead for very long. Soon the Orediggers regained their confidence and they began to dominate the Argonauts, doomed by many of their own attack errors, going on an 20-8 run to lead 20-10. But the Argonauts went on a run of their own and brought the score to 22-19. But after a service error, another attack error, and a kill from Jackie Stabell, Mines ended up on top, 25-19.

As third period started, the Orediggers began the set on top, and they continued to hold their lead for the rest of the game. Assists from Emily Collett and Madenwald proved to be very helpful to the team throughout the set. Collett finished off the Argonauts with a kill to end the third set 25-15 and give CSM the win.

Wannamaker and Stabell provided a combined 20 kills for the Orediggers. Stabell finished the game with 10 kills, four service aces, eight digs, and two block assists. Alese Maddenwald led Mines in digs (12) along with her six assists. Melanie Wannamaker contributed 10 kills and four block assists. Elizabeth Serra-Hsu ended the game with seven digs and four block assists, while Amanda Massey contributed a whopping eighteen assists. Anna Padget-Shields had eight kills, while Emily Collett added six digs presented thirteen assists, and Holly Hutchison distributed three block assists.

The Notre Dame Argonauts fall to 3-6 overall after the loss to CSM.

CSM has now won 9 of their last 11 games. They suffered a 3-0 loss to #17 Metro Friday and and rebounded with a 3-0 pounding of Regis University Saturday night. CSM is now 14-4 (7-2 RMAC) and begins a four game road trip Sept. 24 at Chadron State.