Match Summary

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — When Saint Mary's University volleyball coach Mike Lester says that the difference between going 2-0 and 0-2 in the first day of the Pikes Peak Challenge is a lucky bounce here or there, he isn't kidding.

Both of the Cardinals' matches during Friday's opening round of the five-team tournament went the maximum five games. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, however, those lucky bounces were more like unlucky ones, as SMU came out on the short end of both five-game matches, falling to Southwestern (Texas) University 3-2 and to MIAC rival Bethel 3-2.

"Those were two very tough matches that could have gone either way," said Lester. "We came back and forced the fifth game against Southwestern (after dropping the first and third games of the match), which was good to see. We had Bethel on the ropes by winning the first two games, but we couldn't put them away."

Tracy Koertgen (Crystal Lake, Ill.) and Molli Dant (Forest City, Iowa) led the way for the Cardinals against Southwestern, collecting 17 and 16 kills, respectively. Koertgen also chipped in five service aces and three blocks. Lisa Engdahl (North Branch, Minn.) chipped in 12 kills and Ashley Dingels (Gibbon, Minn.) tallied eight kills and a team-leading six blocks. Tessa Stranik (Eatonville, Wash.) dished out 56 assists and Desiree Larson (Blaine, Minn.) added 15 digs.

Koertgen was again the team-leader against Bethel, posting 17 kills and two blocks. Rachel Rivers (Apple Valley, Minn.) and Dingels notched 15 and 14 kills, respectively, with Dant chipping in 12. Stranik recorded a career-high 58 assists, with Larson notching 17 digs.