Match Summary

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University volleyball team patterned itself after a fine wine in their opening two matches of the SMU Sugar Loaf Classic- Friday — they just kept getting better with age.

Problem was, the aging process in their second match took a few too many years off coach Mike Lester.

The Cardinals dropped the first two games of their match against Waldorf, before rallying for a 3-2, 28-30, 23-30, 30-22, 30-22, 15-11 win. That victory came on the heels of a 3-0 triumph over Luther that saw SMU rally from a sluggish start to post wins of 3-0, 30-28, 30-15, 30-21.

"That was a great match," Lester said of the Waldorf match. "It was just the type of match we needed. We played a couple of five-game matches (at the Pikes Peak Challenge last weekend) and weren't able to finish. Today, we rallied to get to that fifth game, and finished it off.

"This was a big step in the right direction for us."

It was almost a giant step in the wrong direction, however, as SMU put its backs to the wall by dropping the first two games.

"We did not play especially well in the first two games, but (Waldorf) is a very good blocking team, and that was tough for us to adjust to" Lester said. "Our outsides were struggling a big early (in the match), but our serve receive stayed solid, and once our outsides got on track, we just took control."

Kirstan Rouzer (Comstock, Wis.) collected a match-high 24 kills and added 15 digs to lead the Cardinals, who have now won four straight after opening the season with back-to-back losses. Ashley Dingels (Gibbon, Minn.) and Tracy Koertgen (Crystal Lake, Ill.) each chipped in 17 kills, with Dingels also recording six blocks and three aces. Tessa Stranik (Eatonville, Wash.), meanwhile, \ dished out 57 assists and pitched in 17 digs.

Dingels led the way for the Cardinals against Luther, notching a match-high 13 kills, while also picking up three blocks. Rouzer chipped in 11 kills, nine digs and two blocks, and Stranik dished out 40 assists and recorded 10 digs.

"It wasn't out best, but it wasn't our worst, either," Lester said of the Luther match. "We were a little tight (in the first game against Luther) — I think everyone was a little too pumped about it being our home opener, and because of that, they were a little off on all of their swings."

Once they settled down, however, the Cardinals were unstoppable.

"On the day, we started out a little too slow for my liking in both matches, but I was very happy to see the way we battled back both times," Lester said. "Hopefully we can just keep improving."