By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
NORTHFIELD, Minn. — With only six spots on the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference post-season dance card, the Saint Mary's University volleyball team knew it had to perform a conference two-step if the Cardinals were going to land an invitation.
 
But Step 2 would mean nothing if the Cardinals couldn't orchestrate a perfect Step 1.
 
And after dropping the first two sets against Carleton Wednesday, the Cardinals were just that — perfect.
 
Saint Mary's rallied from a 2-0 deficit, rattling off three straight set wins — including a 15-11 win in the fifth and decisive set — to earn a 3-2 win over the Knights.
 
And keep their dancing shoes on.
 
With Wednesday's win — and Bethel's 3-1 victory over Concordia — the Cardinals find themselves in a win-and-they're-in scenario heading into Saturday's regular-season finale at Gustavus.
 
Saint Mary's and Bethel are currently tied for the sixth and final MIAC post-season berth with 5-5 records, one win behind Gustavus. Because the Royals hold the tiebreaker over Saint Mary's — due to their 3-0 win in the teams' meeting earlier this season — only a win over the Gusties will send the Cardinals on to next week's post-season tournament.
 
Carleton controlled the opening set, beating the Cardinals 25-20 for a quick 1-0 lead.
 
The Cardinals fell behind early in Set 2, 7-5, but used an 8-0 run to grab a 15-7 advantage. The Knights would regain the momentum, clawing back to pull even, 23-23 — and 24-24, 25-25, 26-26, 27-27, and 28-28. Carleton won the next point for a 29-28 lead, but Saint Mary's answered to once again knot the set, 29-29. That would be the final tie of the set, however, as Carleton won the next two points for a 31-29 win — and 2-0 lead.
 
Saint Mary's began its climb out of the 2-0 hole with a dominating 25-14 win in the third set, before outlasting Carleton 25-22 in the fourth set to pull even, 2-2 — and set up the winner-take-all fifth set.
 
With the score tied 7-7 in the fifth set, Saint Mary's grabbed the momentum, outscoring the Knights 8-4 down the stretch for the 15-11 victory.
 
Lillian Braun (Mantorville, Minn.) — who became just the fourth player in program history to reach 3,000 career assists last Saturday at St. Catherine — dished out 58 helpers against the Knights and added 19 digs for her team-leading eighth double-double of the season.
 
Linnaea Wallis (Dresser, Wis.) and Daynalyn Jostock (Millville, Minn.) each collected 16 kills, while Rachel Kedl (Lamberton, Minn.) recorded 14 and Erin Lime (Lino Lakes, Minn.) chipped in 12. Hayley Weber (Gladbrook, Iowa) collected a career-high 21 digs, while DeJaye Baab (Wabasha, Minn.) added 17.
 
Abby Loe posted a match-high 25 kills and Inger Shelton landed 51 assists to pace Carleton.
 
The Cardinals (5-5 MIAC, 15-12 overall) are back on the road to close out their regular-season schedule, heading to Gustavus' Lund Center Gym in St. Peter, Minn., for a 3 p.m. conference showdown against the Gusties. The Knights (2-8 MIAC, 6-19 overall), meanwhile, return to action on Friday, heading across town to St. Olaf's Skoglund Center for a 7 p.m. MIAC contest against the cross-town rival Oles.