GOLDEN, Colo. – The Midwestern State volleyball team took No. 8 Colorado Mines to four sets after claiming an opening set win, but the nationally-ranked program proved to be too tough down the stretch as the Mustangs dropped their final match of the Oredigger Classic to the host institution.

Midwestern (1-3) held the Orediggers to a .088 hitting percentage to take a 25-21 first set win. Junior libero Madelyn Johnson supplied some early momentum for the Mustangs by recording three-straight aces to help MSU build a 7-1 lead.

Midwestern continued to cause problems for the No. 8 team as the visitors pushed their lead to as much as 10 following a kill by sophomore outside hitter Meghan Bettis.

Colorado Mines (3-0) began to get its offense flowing later in the set, cutting the Midwestern lead to 22-20 following a kill by Ellie Monarch. However, a kill from sophomore outside hitter/middle blocker Addison Semer gave the Mustangs a first set win to take the 1-0 advantage.

The Orediggers came out strong in the second set, hitting .423 while holding the Mustangs to just a .083 attack percentage. Mines began to break away midway through the set before going on to record a 25-15 win to knot the match at 1-1.

The Mines offense continued to flow, hitting .567 in the third set and .520 in the fourth to take away MSU's chance at an upset bid.

Leading 11-8 in the third set, the Orediggers put together a 5-0 run thanks to three kills from junior hitter Alanna Winfield. MSU was unable to cut into their deficit the remainder of the set with Mines building a 13-point lead before taking a 25-13 third set victory.

Following a Bettis kill that gave the Mustangs an 11-10 advantage in the fourth, Winfield paced the Orediggers in a 6-0 spurt and helped them take a 25-17 fourth set victory and the match.

Bettis led the Mustangs with 11 kills while freshman setter Hayden Blair dished out 20 assists.

Winfield led the Orediggers with 18 kills, committing just one error in 29 swings. Senior setter Danielle Johnson-Hazlewood recorded a team-high 49 assists while junior libero Taryn Huber led Colorado Mines with 20 digs.

As a team, the Orediggers hit .383 while holding the Mustangs to a .167 attack percentage.

Midwestern will host its home opener Wednesday at 3 p.m. versus Southwestern Oklahoma State before concluding the evening with a 7:30 p.m. match against Texas Wesleyan at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.