Box Score  | GameDay Preview

MOORHEAD, Minn. — If there's one thing Saint Mary's University volleyball coach Mike Lester learned about his team this weekend, it's that the Cardinals have short memories.

Very short.

Less than 24 hours after struggling offensively in a 3-0 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference loss at Saint Benedict on Friday, the Cardinals handed league-leading Concordia its first conference of the season — outlasting the Cobbers 3-2 Saturday afternoon.

The Cardinals got off to a quick start, dropping Concordia 25-20 in the opening set, but the Cobbers responded with back-to-back 25-20 wins of their own to take a 2-1 advantage. SMU forced a fifth and final set with a 25-23 victory in the fourth set, then iced the win by breaking a 15-15 tie with back-to-back points for the 17-15 victory.

Megan Leisen (Kellogg, Minn.) led the way for the Cardinals, collecting a career-high 14 kills, while Carissa Hahn (Hutchinson, Minn.) chipped in 13 and Mary Nordick (Plymouth, Minn.) added nine. Lexi Assimos (Northbrook, Ill.) dished out a season-high 45 assists — marking the second time this season the junior setter has eclipsed the 40-assist mark. Along with her 13 kills, Hahn also led the team in digs for the second straight match, finishing with 24. Lex Krogstad (Chicago, Ill.) tallied 22 digs, with Leisen, Cathy Rennie (Pine Island, Minn.) and Assimos also finishing in double figures with 13, 13 and 10, respectively.

Olivia Wangensteen banged home a match-high 27 kills and Angie Waller added 15 in the losing effort for the Cobbers, who also got 58 assists from Danelle Loomis.

The Cardinals (3-2 MIAC, 8-6 overall) return to action on Wednesday, traveling to Northfield, Minn., for a 7 p.m. conference match against St. Olaf.