WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University volleyball team closes out its regular season schedule — and honors its seven graduating seniors — on Saturday, playing host to Gustavus in a 3 p.m. conference match at the SMU Gym.

The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals: 6-4 MIAC / 20-9 Overall
Gustavus Gusties: 1-9 MIAC / 7-18 Overall

GameDay Live On The Web:
Coach Lester Preview / Senior Salute / GameDay Preview

Last Action:
The Cardinals dropped a heartbreaking, 3-2 conference decision at St. Catherine on Wednesday, despite getting 21 kills from Jessica Mate (St. Charles, Ill.) and 20 from Sarah Gardner (Rochester, Minn.). Gustavus, meanwhile, also enters today's finale on the heels of a loss, falling to Bethel 3-1 in Arden Hills, Minn., on Wednesday.

Last Meeting — October 31, 2009:
The Cardinals locked up an MIAC playoff berth in their final match of the regular season, getting a match-high 16 kills from Amy Kujak (River Falls, Wis.) and Sarah Gardner (Rochester, Minn.) in a 3-1 victory over the Gusties in St. Peter, Minn.

MIAC Playoff Picture — Top 6 Earn MIAC Berths:
Thanks to the way Wednesday's matches fell, the field is set for this year's MIAC Tournament. St. Thomas (10-1), St. Olaf (9-1) and Concordia locked up the top three spots, while Saint Mary's (6-4), Saint Benedict (6-4) and St. Catherine (5-5) have also qualified. Wtih a win today vs. Gustavus, SMU would lock up the No. 4 seed and host an opening-round match on Tuesday.

Saint Mary's Cardinals News and Notes:
Today's match is the regular-season finale for SMU seniors Brittany Cherwinka (Faribault, Minn.), Sara Harstad (Chatfield, Minn.), Jessica Mate (St. Charles, Ill.), Sarah Gardner (Rochester, Minn.), Emily Welhaven (Rochester, Minn.), Lindsey Legatt (Sartell, Minn.) and Rachel Monterastelli (Wonder Lake, Ill.). … The Cardinals will be making their third straight MIAC Tournament appearance on Tuesday. … With their 3-1 win over Bethel last Saturday, the Cardinals picked up their 20th win of the season. It was the second straight season — and the 10th time in the program's history — that they have eclipsed the 20-win plateau. … Mate and Gardner finished with 21 and 20 kills, respectively, against the Wildcats on Wednesday. It was the first time this season the Cardinals had two players with 20 or more kills in the same match. … Mate's 21 kills were also her most since recording 24 in last year's 3-2 win over St. Catherine. … With her 20 kills vs. the Wildcats Wednesday, Gardner — who has now collected 10 or more kills in seven straight matches and 23 times this season — enters today's match vs. GAC with a single-season career-best 394 kills. She is just six kills shy of becoming the sixth player in SMU volleyball history to record 400 or more kills in a season. … Gardner also leap-frogged Amanda Edmond for No. 3 all-time in career kills with 1,384. … Mate is also continuing her climb up the career kills list, boasting 1,278 to close to within 27 kills of Tracy Koertgen for No. 5 all-time. … Brittany Cherwinka (Faribault, Minn.), just one of two SMU setters with 3,000 or more assists in a career, dished out 43 against St. Catherine Wednesday, giving her 760 for the season and 3,087 for her career. She ranks second to Amber Rajtora (4,578) in career assists. … Amy Kujak (River Falls, Wis.), who has 253 kills to give SMU three players with 200 or more kills, leads the team in attack percentage at .305. … SMU has five players with 20 or more aces, led by Gardner with 41 and Kujak with 35. … … Six of SMU's nine losses have come against nationally ranked teams. … Twelve of SMU's 20 wins have been 3-0 sweeps. … The Cardinals' 3-2 loss to St. Catherine Wednesday was their first five-set match of the season (3-1). … With their 2-2 finish at the North Central (Ill.) Invitational last weekend, the Cardinals finished 2010 with a 13-3 record in the four tournaments they appeared in.

Gustavus Gusties News and Notes:
Wednesday's loss at Bethel was the Gusties' fourth straight and ninth in their last 10 matches. … Dana Boerboom recorded a team-high 16 kills in GAC's loss at Bethel, giving the freshman outside hitter 230 kills for the season. … Angela Ahrendt leads the team with 278 kills, while she and Boerboom are two of five Gusties with 100 or more kills entering today's match vs. Saint Mary's. … Malea Noennig and Kelsey Florian have shared the setting duties this season, with Noennig boasting a team-best 568 assists, while Florian is close behind at 324. … GAC has seven players with 10 or more aces, led by Erin Sherman and Jenny Ewert with 18 each. … Ewert is also the team's leader in digs with 498. … Four of the Gusties' seven wins have been in four-set matches. … GAC has played six five-set matches and are still looking for their first five-set victory.