UPCOMING GAMES
Friday, October 7, 2016
At No. 17 Colorado School of Mines | 7 p.m.
Lockridge Arena | Golden, Colo.
Live Stats: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/fortlewis/
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fortlewis/
 
Saturday, October 8, 2016
At Colorado Christian University | 2 p.m.
CCU Event Center | Lakewood, Colo.
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/ccu/wvball/
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fortlewis/
 
NOTES
Fort Lewis College won their first home match of the season Saturday night against Western State Colorado University, snapping a three game losing streak.  The Skyhawks started the match losing the first two sets but came back to win the final three.
 
On Friday against Colorado Mesa University, the Mavericks hit .321 at the net to sweep Fort Lewis College (25-12, 25-21, 25-17).  The Mavericks doubled their kills output with 51 while FLC posted 25 as a team. 
 
The Skyhawks are tied for 10^th in the league standings with a 3-3 RMAC record (4-10 overall).
 
As a team, the Skyhawks have served the most aces than any other team in the league (1.72 aces per set).  Gabriella Hickman leads a group of three Skyhawks ranked in the top 10 in the league in service aces with 0.36 aces per set, followed by Ally Dell'Amico (fifth, 0.33), and Maddie LeBlanc (10^th, 0.31).  Dell'Amico also ranks sixth in the RMAC in digs (4.88 average) while Delaney Scanlan has the ninth most set assists in the conference with 8.78. 
 
THE SERIES
Fort Lewis College leads the all-time series with Colorado School of Mines, 34-26.  However, the Orediggers have won the last 10 matches.  CSM leads the series against FLC when playing on their home court, 14-10.  The last time FLC defeated the Orediggers on their home court was Sept. 29, 2007 (W, 3-0).
 
Colorado Christian University has won 21 of 32 matches against the Skyhawks.  The Cougars are currently on a six match win streak against FLC, and have won 11-of-14 matches at home.  The Skyhawks last win at CCU was Oct. 8, 2009 (W, 3-1).
 
SCOUTING THE OREDIGGERS
Colorado Mines is ranked No. 17 in this week's AVCA Division II poll.  The Orediggers are one of two teams undefeated in league games.  CSM enters the weekend 12-2 overall and 6-0 in the RMAC.  The Orediggers lead the RMAC in hitting percentage (.258), assists (13.21 average), and kills (14.10 average).
 
Alanna Winfield leads all RMAC players with 4.08 kills per set.
 
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
Colorado Christian University is third overall in the league standings with a 4-2 record (10-5 overall).  The Cougars are second in the RMAC in blocks (2.06 average), service aces (1.54) and digs (17.25), third opponent hitting percentage (.149), and fifth in hitting percentage (.200) and assists (12.21 average).
 
Kylee Wurster has the third most set assists this season with 10.45 assists per set.
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Matisse Monty was the third Skyhawk to earn preseason All-Tournament team honors.  Monty was named to the MSU All-Tournament team (Sept. 9-10) after recording 2.53 kills per set with a .148 hitting mark, eight aces, 35 digs and four blocks.
 
Maddie LeBlanc and Bailey Longacre were named to the Cal State San Marcos Invitational All-Tournament team (Sept. 2-3).  The duo led the Skyhawks offensively over the weekend.  LeBlanc averaged 2.64 kills per set while hitting .304 at the net.  She added five aces, five digs and 10 blocks.  Longacre finished with 30 kills (2.14 kills per set), a .234 hitting mark, 11 digs and seven blocks.
 
PRESEAON POLL
The 2016 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll has the Fort Lewis College volleyball program picked to finish 13^th out of 15 teams. The Skyhawks received 45 points in the preseason poll.  Colorado School of Mines is the preseason favorite with 192 points and 11 first place votes.
 
FLC finished 16^th in the league last year with a 2-16 RMAC record (5-21 overall).  The Skyhawks return five starters (Matisse Monty, Gabriella Hickman, Maddie LeBlanc, Hannah Hargrove and Delaney Scanlan), including libero Ally Dell'Amico, and 11 letterwinner's from last year's team.  Dell'Amico and Monty earned RMAC Honorable Mention honors last year.
 
SEASONED COACH
Kelley Rifilato is in her fourth season with the Skyhawks in 2016 after being named the Fort Lewis College head volleyball coach in June 2013.  In three years at the helm of the volleyball program, Rifilato owns a 23-57 (.288) overall record, and a 17-38 (.309) conference mark.  She has coach five All-RMAC and 13 Academic All-RMAC performers while taking the 2013 team to the RMAC tournament.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
The Skyhawks will head Northeast again next weekend when they play at Chadron State College on Friday and Regis University on Saturday.