By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary's University volleyball coach Jackie Kiecker knew her Cardinals were going to have their hands full when they took the court Wednesday evening against St. Thomas.
 
After all, the Tommies entered the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup boasting a 14-3 overall record, having won three straight — and boasting a No. 19 ranking in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll.
 
And St. Thomas certainly lived up to its billing, as the Tommies used late rallies in all three sets in pulling away to deal the Cardinals a 3-0 setback at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
Leading by one, 21-20 in the first set, St. Thomas recorded five of the set's final six points in winning the opener 25-21. It was more of the same in Set 2, as St. Thomas again used a 5-1 set-ending run en route to a 25-19 victory. In the final set, the Cardinals rallied from an early 5-0 deficit to cut the gap to one, 13-12, but UST was just too much, winning 12 of the final 17 points to close out the match 25-17.
 
Linnaea Wallis (Dresser, Wis.) led the Cardinal offensive attack, recording 10 kills, with Lexi Barth (Byron, Minn.) adding seven, and Rachel Kedl (Lamberton, Minn.) and Daynalyn Jostock (Millville, Minn.) each chipping in six. Lillian Braun (Mantorville, Minn.) accounted for 34 of the teams' 37 assists, and DeJaye Baab (Wabasha, Minn.) and Wallis delivered 20 and 13 digs, respectively.
 
Selena Levendoski recorded a match-high 13 kills to lead three Tommies in double figures, with Madie Kroehler adding 11 and Fran Egan tallying 10. Grace Anetipa dished out 42 assists and added 11 digs, while Ellie Meyer and Kroehler led the Tommies with 12 digs each.
 
The Cardinals (1-2 MIAC, 11-8 overall) are back on the road on Saturday, heading to Bethel's Robertson Center in Arden Hills, Minn., for a 5 p.m. MIAC showdown against the Royals. The Tommies (3-0 MIAC, 15-3 overall) return home to Schoenecker Arena in St. Paul, Minn., on Saturday, entertaining Carleton in a 3 p.m. conference contest.