Box Score  | GameDay Preview

NORTHFIELD, Minn. — Heading into Wednesday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown with St. Olaf, Saint Mary's University volleyball coach Mike Lester was certain of one thing — if the Cardinals were going to come away with a victory, they were going to need a repeat performance of their effort in a 3-2 win over Concordia last Saturday.

There was no repeat performance — and, unfortunately for Lester and the Cardinals, no victory — as St. Olaf swept past SMU 3-0.

The Cardinals got off to a slow start in the opening set, falling 25-18, and never recovered, dropping the next two sets 25-21 and 25-22 in falling to 3-3 in the MIAC and 8-7 overall.

Carissa Hahn (Hutchinson, Minn.) collected a team- and match-high 11 kills and hit .308 for the Cardinals, while Mary Nordick (Plymouth, Minn.) finished with nine kills and Molly Grover (Zumbrota, Minn.) chipped in seven.

Lexi Assimos (Northbrook, Ill.) — coming off a season-high 45-assist effort against the Cobbers last Saturday — recorded 26 assists and was one of three SMU players with a team-leading 10 digs. Lex Krogstad (Chicago, Ill.) and Cathy Rennie (Pine Island, Minn.) also recorded 10 digs in the loss.

The Cardinals step out of conference play this weekend, traveling to Platteville, Wis., to take part in the UW-Platteville Invitational. SMU will square off against Coe (6 p.m.) and host UW-Platteville (8 p.m.) on Friday, before taking on UW-La Crosse (10 a.m.) and the University of Dubuque (Noon) on Saturday.