UPCOMING GAMES
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Friday, September 16, 2016
Goodell Gymnasium | Rapid City, S.D.
Live Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fortlewis/
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fortlewis/
 
Black Hills State University
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Donald E. Young Center | Spearfish, S.D.
Live Stats: http://www.bhsuathletics.com/sports/wvball/2016-17/boxscores/20160917_e5zi.xml
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fortlewis/
 
THIS WEEK'S MATCHES
The Skyhawks will open the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season on the road this weekend at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology on Friday and Black Hills State University on Saturday.  This weekend's games will mark the Skyhawks third straight weekend on the road and ninth and 10^th matches away from Whalen Gymnasium.
 
THE SERIES
The Skyhawks and Hardrockers are tied 1-1 in their all-time series.  FLC's win came on Oct. 17, 1986 (W, 3-1).  Both teams met for the first time in conference action last season, with the Hardrockers taking the match in four sets.
 
FLC owns a 3-1 advantage over Black Hills State University.  The Skyhawks first loss to BHSU was last season, 3-0.
 
THIS SEASON
As a team, the Skyhawks have served the most aces than any other team in the league (2.31 aces per set).  Individually, Maddie LeBlanc and Gabriella Hickman are averaging the most aces in the league with 0.48 aces per set.  LeBlanc has recorded a team high in blocks (19) and kills (56). 
 
Libero Ally Dell'Amico's 4.76 digs per set are the sixth most in the RMAC.
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Mattise 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.
 
SCOUTING THE HARDROCKERS
South Dakota Mines enters the weekend with a 0-8 record.  The Hardrockers will open their home season tonight in a non-conference match against Dickinson State.  Emily Newton leads SDSMT at the net with 2.08 kills and .76 blocks per set.  Allie Boggs is the Hardrockers starting setter and is averaging 6.10 assists per set.  Defending the back line is Allie Brown who has tallied 4.28 digs per set.
 
SCOUTING THE YELLOWJACKETS
Black Hills State's defense leads the league in both blocks (2.93 blocks per set) and digs (19.77 digs per set).  Fehrin Ward (1.60 blocks per set) and Cheyenne Palu (1.27 blocks per set) are the top two blockers in the conference, while Lacy Stevens has dug up a league best 6.17 digs per set. 
 
The Yellow Jackets have earned wins over Northwestern Oklahoma State and the University of Mary.  They enter their home opening weekend with a 2-5 overall record.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Skyhawks traveled to Wichita Falls, Texas for the Midwestern State University Invitational. The Skyhawks faced the MSU Mustangs (L, 0-3), Southeastern Oklahoma State (L, 1-3), Southern Nazarene (L, 0-3) and Emporia State University (L, 2-3).
 
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
Fort Lewis College will open their home season Sept. 23-24 against UCCS (7 p.m.) and MSU Denver (5 p.m.).