RAPID CITY, S.D. – Western State Colorado University volleyball made it a quick Friday night on the road. The Mountaineers swept South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in three sets (25-15, 25-21, 25-12), and were in and out of the gym in less than 90 minutes.
 
While it was a total team win for Western (10-9, 6-5 RMAC), an 11 dig performance by libero Amanda Maestas was the story of the night. Maestas became Western's all-time leader in career digs with 1,339, surpassing Madison Dempsey's 1,338 digs from 2007-10.
 
Maestas and teammate Caiden Rexius led the match in digs with 11 each.
 
Although SDSMT (1-21, 0-11 RMAC) opened the scoring on Friday, the Mountaineers were in clear control of the match, winning sets one and three by 10 or more points.
 
The Hardrockers came close in the second set and trailed the Mountaineers by only two points late in the set, 21-19. However, the Mountaineers closed the door, scoring the following three points and taking the set 25-21 after a SDSMT error on the serve.
 
Western's Jordan Eatwell led all players with 11 kills. Teammates Tori Gaherty and Molly Hothan each contributed nine kills. Hothan recorded a .600 hitting percentage, converting 15 attempts into those nine kills.
 
Leading the Hardrockers was Anna Breidt with 10 kills.
 
The win gives Western a plus .500 overall and conference record. As of 9 p.m. MT on Friday night, the Mountaineers sit eighth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings.  The top eight teams make the conference tournament.
 
Western will travel to Black Hills State University for another match Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. in Spearfish, South Dakota.