Match Summary

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Talk about hitting both ends of the spectrum.

Less than 24 hours after suffering a pair of heartbreaking losses that went the maximum five games in the opening round of the Pikes Peak Challenge, the Saint Mary's University volleyball team made quick work of both Buena Vista and host Colorado College in the tournament's second day.

Not about to work one minute more than they had to, the Cardinals quickly dispatched of Buena Vista 30-23, 30-28, 30-27, then made even quicker work of Colorado College, blasting the host Tigers 30-18, 30-27, 30-22.

"This was a real good tournament for us," said SMU coach Mike Lester, whose team has the week off, before hosting their own eight-team Sugar Loaf Classic Invitational next Friday and Saturday. "We played two super-close matches (Friday) against two nationally ranked teams (Southwestern and Bethel). Both matches were matches that we could have, and probably should have, won, but we didn't finish them.

"(Against Buena Vista and Colorado College), we finished the matches."

Did they ever.

Ashley Dingels (Gibbon, Minn.) led the way for the Cardinals (2-2 overall) against Buena Vista, collecting a match-high 16 kills, while Tracy Koertgen (Crystal Lake, Ill.) and Molli Dant (Forest City, Iowa) added 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Tessa Stranik (Eatonville, Wash.) finished with 42 set assists, with Desiree Larson (Blaine, Minn.) and Rachel Rivers (Apple Valley, Minn.) each tallying 10 digs.

Dingels again led the way against Colorado College, recording 14 kills and boasting a .419 attach percentage. Stranik finished with 37 assists and Koertgen notched six of the Cardinals' nine service aces.