Main Story

No. 20 Colorado School of Mines opens the RMAC volleyball tournament at home Tuesday against No. 7 Colorado Christian. The second-seeded Orediggers bring a program-record 16-game winning streak into the single-elimination quarterfinal; the winner advances to Friday’s semifinals.

By the Numbers
  • Mines: 23-3 overall, 12-2 in RMAC play; Colorado Christian: 13-11 overall, 8-6 in the RMAC.
  • Mines has won 16 straight matches and leads the all-time series 47-27.
  • The teams met twice this season, with Mines winning both matches in straight sets.
  • First serve is Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Lockridge Arena in Golden.
Yes, But

Mines swept Colorado Christian twice this season, but the Cougars arrive after a five-game winning streak in October and feature senior Krista Traynor, whose four triple-doubles rank third nationally. Colorado Christian has lost its last two matches, including a five-set defeat at Fort Lewis.

State of Play
  • The eight-team tournament is single elimination; first-round matches are hosted by the four highest seeds.
  • If Mines advances, it will face Colorado Mesa or Fort Lewis in Friday’s semifinal.
  • Mines is ranked No. 2 in the South Central Region’s NCAA Power Index and No. 13 nationally; the RMAC champion receives an automatic NCAA tournament berth.
What’s Next

A win keeps Mines’ conference-title run alive and sends the Orediggers to Friday’s semifinal. A loss ends their RMAC tournament, leaving their NCAA postseason prospects to the selection process.

Bottom Line

Mines enters as the clear favorite, but a single-elimination game leaves little room for error: the Orediggers must turn their regular-season edge into another win to stay on track for a conference title and strengthen their postseason position.