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WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University volleyball team certainly didn't make things easy on themselves in their opening match of Day 2 at the Cardinal Invitational against the University of Dubuque.

As hard at the Cardinals tried, they could not shake the pesky Spartans.

So the Cardinals took a different approach — rather than shaking Dubuque, they just outlasted them, beating the Spartans 25-22, 25-19, 25-23 for the 3-0 victory.

And it was no different in SMU's second match of the day against Augustana (Ill.).

Fortunately for the Cardinals, the end result was the same — a 3-0 sweep.

Alex Peterson (Harmony, Minn.) — coming off a career-best 23 kills in SMU's 3-1 victory over Central (Iowa) on Friday — collected a match-best 11 kills against the University of Dubquue, while Mary Nordick (Plymouth, Minn.) chipped in 10 kills. Lexi Assimos (Northbrook, Ill.), who dished out a season-high 50 assists against the Dutch Friday, put up 37 more assists vs. the Spartans, while Lex Krogstad (Chicago, Ill.) and Morgan Thomas (Palos Park, Ill.) delivered 15 and 13 digs, respectively.

Peterson led the way again against Augustana, as the sophomore racked up 12 more kills, while Nordick hit a team-best .500 while adding her second straight 10-kill effort. Assimos recorded 24 assists and Krogstad notched a team-best 10 digs.

The Cardinals (16-5 overall) — winners of four straight — are back in action on Wednesday, as SMU returns to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 7 p.m. match against Hamline at the SMU Gym.