By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — Gustavus headed into Friday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown with the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota volleyball team unbeaten in its 10 conference matches this season.
 
In fact, not only were the Gusties perfect in conference play, no MIAC opponent had even taken GAC to a fifth set.
 
The Cardinals were determined to change all that.
 
Gustavus, however, had other ideas.
 
The Gusties made the Cardinals their 17^th straight victim, as Gustavus charged to convincing wins in the first two sets, overcame a third-set Saint Mary's victory, and completed its perfect run through the conference schedule with a win in the fourth set en route to a 3-1 victory at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The Cardinals came out flat in the opening set — and Gustavus took advantage, rattling off eight unanswered points en route to a 25-12 win. GAC pushed its lead to 2-0 with another strong outing in the second set, 25-19. Saint Mary's regrouped in the third set and picked up a 25-17 win, but the Gusties' offense returned to first-set form in set No. 4, rolling to a match-clinching 25-18 win.
 
Rachel Kedl (Lamberton, Minn.) finished with a team-high 12 kills, one more than Gloria Kitange (Rochester, Minn.), while Lillian Braun (Mantorville, Minn.) racked up her team-leading 13^th double-double with 39 assists and 10 digs. Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) led the team with 12 digs and added nine kills.
 
Kate Holtan delivered 15 kills and Lauren Hanson added 12 for the Gusties — who locked up the MIAC regular-season title with the victory. Nora Holtan, the reigning AVCA National Setter of the Week, dished out dished out 47 assists, and added eight digs and two kills.
 
The Cardinals closed out the season with a 4-7 record in conference play, while finishing 13-14 overall.