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Fort Lewis College Athletics

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VB vs. UCCS
Sophomore Natalia Lambos ranks 10th in the conference with 7.98 assists per set

Volleyball heads north for key RMAC road series

10/13/2022 10:00:00 AM

By: Angela Roberts, Assistant AD - Communications
DURANGO, Colo. – The Skyhawks will be making the longest trip of the season this week as the team heads north for key matchups against South Dakota Mines and Black Hills State University. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference slate will have a big impact on league standings as the conference portion of the season winds down. Fort Lewis sits in eighth while South Dakota Mines and BHSU are 11th and 13th, respectively.

Looking Back
Fort Lewis was up and down last week, first with a loss to (RV) CSU Pueblo in three sets before closing it out with a sweep of UCCS on Saturday. In the loss on Friday, the Pack average 2.4 blocks per set this season and earned a season-high 15 blocks. The Skyhawks hit zero for the match versus a .200 clip for the Pack. In addition to the prowess at the net, CSU Pueblo was stout from the service line with eight aces. Fort Lewis held a slight 45-44 edge in digs, led by Kamryn Lopez 's 12 digs effort. JJ Curry led the team with nine kills to go along with five digs. Following Curry was Rylee Johnson with six kills. The team picked up kills from five additional players throughout the match. Natalia Lambos has 16 assists and four digs in two sets played.

In the win over UCCS, Alexis Hobie had a monstrous 19 kills while Lopez complimented her with 24 digs. The Skyhawks edged out the Mountain Lions in most statistical categories, including hitting efficiency where the home squad boasted a .185 mark to just .040 for the visitors. Fort Lewis was fueled by eight blocks and a whopping 58 digs compared to 49 for their foe. Hobie's 19 kills led all players, and she was followed by Lauren Shea who contributed six on the night. Shea's night was not defined solely by offense, though. The right side was active on defense with 10 digs and dished out a season-high four assists to mark a well-rounded outing. Ruthie Ridderhoff returned to the hardwood and put away a season-high six blocks.

Scouting South Dakota Mines
The Hardrockers are 6-12 overall and 3-7 in RMAC play after splitting action last week. The team picked up a 3-0 win over Westminster College before falling to No. 19 Colorado Mesa in four sets. South Dakota Mines is hitting .170 as a team with 11.8 kills per set to go along with 15.2 digs per set to rank fifth in the conference. Jacey Koethe is averaging 3.39 kills per set to rank third in the RMAC. Paisley Gibson follows with 2.31 kills per set. Leading the team defensively is Anna Thomas at 4.41 digs per set.

Fort Lewis is 5-2 all-time against South Dakota Mines and claimed last season's meeting in a 3-2 final with the fifth set ending in a 15-13 score. Hobie led the team with 20 kills in the win while Lopez picked up 18 digs to lead all players.

Scouting Black Hills State
The Yellow Jackets have struggled to pick up wins this season and sit at 3-15 overall (2-8 RMAC). Despite the record, BHSU is battling and challenging the opposition night after night. The persistence has paid off as the squad most recently earned a win over Westminster College on Saturday. The team hit at a .341 clip to mark a season high. Madison Hoopman is leading the team offensively this season at 3.37 kills per set. Offense runs through Karly Marx who dishes out 8.32 assists per set. Haedyn Rhoades leads the team at 5.06 digs per set—also the top mark in the conference.

Fort Lewis leads the series at 6-4 and won last season's meeting in 3-2 fashion. Hobie had 13 kills in the effort and chipped in two aces. Lopez led the team with 15 digs.

Lopez Reaches 1000 Digs
Senior libero Kamryn Lopez was honored prior to Saturday's match for reaching 1,000 career digs in a win over Chadron State. She becomes the 15th player in program history to surpass 1,000 career digs. Lopez continues to impress, too, adding 24 digs to her total in a sweep of UCCS on Saturday. She is averaging 3.98 digs per set which ranks ninth in the league.

VB vs. UCCS
 
Scouting the RMAC
The conference has four teams ranked in the AVCA Division II Coaches Poll, released Monday. MSU Denver leads the way at No. 2, maintaining position after sweeping the competition last weekend. From there, it's a cluster of Colorado programs from No. 16-23. It is Regis, Colorado Mesa, and Mines that team up to hold down the bottom portion of the poll. Receiving votes is CSU Pueblo for the fifth-consecutive week.
MSU Denver and Regis are both 10-0 in conference play to hold down the top-two spots, followed by Mines and Mesa at 9-2 and 8-2, respectively. Fort Lewis sits in eighth place with three weeks remaining in the regular season. The top eight teams in the league make the RMAC Tournament, hosted by the league's top seed.
 
Homecoming on Deck
It's already that time of the year. Homecoming is one week away, and the Skyhawks are back home to face Westminster College and No. 21 Colorado Mesa on Friday and Saturday. Saturday's match will be a special one as FLC volleyball alumni and their families are invited to join coaches and staff for a reception prior to the 6:00 p.m. first serve. There will be appetizers and drinks served in the Whalen Gymnasium lobby. RSVP HERE
 
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