GOLDEN, COLO. – #19 UT Tyler finished up play in the Oredigger Volleyball Classic with 3-0 losses at the hands of Northern State and #11 Colorado School of Mines on Saturday.
 
The Patriots wrap up the weekend with a 1-3 record at the Oredigger Classic after an opening 3-0 win over Colorado Christian, followed by consecutive 3-0 losses to Colorado Mesa, Northern State and Colorado School of Mines, all three of which are associated as either ranked or receiving votes in the 2022 AVCA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
UT Tyler played three tight sets against Northern State in the first match of the day, running the match to extra points in the opening set before falling by a 28-26 final. The Patriots dropped the second and third sets by 25-21 totals.
 
Senior Mikayla Ware led UT Tyler with 17 kills, while Maiya Peña and Dakota Rogers-Hurtado both chipped in seven kills. The Patriots posted 42 kills as a team, 15 kills in the first and second set, and 12 kills in the final set.
 
UT Tyler started strong in their tournament finale game against #11 Colorado School of Mines, the first nationally-ranked opponent of the season for the squad, jumping out to a 16-11 lead in the opening frame. Colorado School of Mines would respond with a 7-2 run to tie the set up, and then outlasted the Patriots with four out of the final five points in the set.
 
Set two was all Colorado School of Mines, as they led by as many as 22-to-8, and rolled to a 25-11 victory. The Patriots recovered in what would be the third and final set, slowing down the Oredigger offense and make it 20-19, before surrendering two out of the last three points to end the match and the weekend.
 
Ware led UT Tyler with nine kills, while sophomore Addison Evans notched 10 digs to lead the squad.
 
UT Tyler will be back in action next weekend at the OBU Fall Tournament in Shawnee, Okla.