DUBUQUE, Iowa — The end result was the same, but the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota volleyball team had to take a different route to get there.
 
The Cardinals came out on the short end of a 25-17 decision in the first set of their match against Wheaton (Ill.) to kick off Day 2 of the Loras Invitational Saturday.
 
Up to this point in the season, a loss in the first set did not bode well for the Cardinals, who had won Set 1 in all six of its wins, while dropping the opening set in its only loss to date.
 
The Cardinals, however, threw that trend right out the window, rattling off three straight victories—25-13, 28-26, and 25-19—to knock off the Thunder.
 
Unfortunately for coach Lester, the trend returned in the Cardinals' second match of the day, as UW-Stout opened with a 25-21 win in the opening set, and, after Saint Mary's took Set 2 25-17, rattled off wins of 27-25 and 25-21 to hand the Cardinals a 3-1 setback.
 
Macki Fadness (Eau Claire, Wis.) led the way for the Cardinals against Wheaton (Ill.), collecting a match-high 12 kills and hitting .375. Brittney Hanson (Janesville, Iowa) and Tayler MacVey (Dodge Center, Minn.) shared the setting detail, dishing out 23 and 19 assists, respectively, while Jenna Sullivan (Woodbury, Minn.) added 11 digs and three blocks, and Hanson delivered two of the team's three aces.
 
 Fadness was again the team's offensive lead against the Blue Devils, equaling her career-high with 18 kills, while hitting .485. MacVey and Hanson teamed for 44 assists—23 from MacVey and 21 from Hanson—while Krogstad and Sullivan finished with 26 and 19 digs, respectively. As a team, the Cardinals recorded six service aces, including two each from Hanson and Morgan Thomas (Palos Park, Ill.).
 
The Cardinals (7-2 overall) are back in action on Wednesday, kicking off Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 7 p.m. match against St. Catherine at the Saint Mary's Gym.