RMAC Tournament Bracket

Golden, Colo.-Colorado Mesa University (17-11) volleyball team lost 3-0 (21-25, 22-25, 19-25) on Tuesday night in first round action at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference volleyball tournament. CMU entered the eight-team tournament as the #8 seed, traveling to #1 seed Colorado Mines. The Orediggers (24-5) are ranked #12 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Poll.

CMU was led by Melissa Hess' game high 12 kills and .280 hitting percentage. Hess added three blocks on the night. Freshman standout Christian Otzen finished with 10 kills, eight digs and two block assists.

RMAC All-Conference selection and senior Libero, Megan Rush recorded 16 digs in her final match as a Maverick. Setter Jordyn Moody finished the evening with 28 assists and five digs.

Colorado Mines was led by RMAC Player of the Year, Jackie Stabell's 10 kills.

Set one had eight lead changes and 15 ties before the Orediggers rattled off five consecutive points, erasing a 20-21 deficit and win the first set 25-21.

CMU opened the second set off a kill by Otzen and took a 3-1 lead. The Orediggers won the next six points for a 7-3 lead and never trailed again in the set. CMU pulled to within one point (18-19) late in the set before the Oredigger's took advantage of a CMU attack error, a service ace and kill to push the lead back to three points (22-18). Colorado Mines closed out the set on an error by the Mavericks.

The third and final set CMU jumped out to a 4-2 lead before surrendering the two point advantage and falling behind 4-5 on back-to-back attack errors. CMU would tie the game at 5-5 and that would mark the last tie in the set as the Orediggers never trailed again on the way to the three-set victory.

Colorado Mines advances to the semi-final round to host UC-Colorado Springs. Adams State and Regis University will play in the other semifinal at Lockridge Arena in Golden on the campus of Colorado School of Mines. Semi-final rounds are set for Friday and the RMAC Championship game will be Saturday at 7 p.m.