By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Saint Mary's University volleyball team is back in action this weekend, traveling to Coe College to take part in the Coe Tournament. The Cardinals will face Loras and Ripon on Friday evening, before squaring off against UW-Eau Claire and Cornell the following day
 
The Coe Invitational Field:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (6-4 Overall), Coe Kohawks (8-4 Overall), Ripon Red Hawks (2-9 Overall), UW-Eau Claire Blugolds (6-5 Overall), Loras Duhawks (10-3 Overall), Cornell Rams (5-5 Overall), St. Olaf Oles (11-2 Overall), Carleton Knights (2-8 Overall), UW-Platteville Pioneers (9-2 Overall)
 
The Coe Invitational Schedule:
Friday, Sept. 20, 2019 * Court 1 | Live Stats * Live Video
• Coe vs. Carleton, 5:00 | Coe vs. St. Olaf, 7:00
Friday, Sept. 20, 2019 * Court 2 | Live Stats * Live Video
• Saint Mary's vs. Loras, 5:00 | Saint Mary's vs. Ripon, 7:00
Friday, Sept. 20, 2019 * Court 3 
• UW-Platteville vs. St. Olaf, 5:00
Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019 * Court 1 | Live Stats * Live Video
• Loras vs. Carleton, 10:00 | Coe vs. UW-Eau Cliare, Noon | Coe vs. UW-Platteville, 2:00
Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019 * Court 2 | Live Stats * Live Video
• Saint Mary's vs. UW-Eau Claire, 10:00 | St. Olaf vs. Loras, Noon | Saint Mary's vs. Cornell, 2:00
Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019 * Court 3 
• UW-Platteville vs. Ripon, Noon | Carleton vs. Ripon, 2:00
 
Cardinals' Last Action:
• September 18, 2018 * Winona, Minn.: The Cardinals got a career-high 42 digs from DeJaye Baab (Wabasha, Minn.), but it was not enough, as Saint Mary's dropped a 3-1 decision to Hamline in the teams' conference opener at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Coe Tournament Opponents — Their Last Meeting:
• vs. Loras — September 11, 2015 * Dubuque, Iowa: Alex Peterson (Harmony, Minn.) recorded her second straight 16-kill match, as the Cardinals completed a perfect 2-0 showing during the first day of the Loras Invitational with a 3-2 victory over the host Duhawks | Recap
• vs. Ripon — September 14, 2019 * Ripon, Wis.: The Cardinals closed out a perfect 4-0 run through the Ripon Red Hawk Invitational in impressive fashion, rolling to a 3-0 victory over the host Red Hawks | Recap
• vs. UW-Eau Claire — September 7, 2016 * Winona, Minn.: Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) put together her first double-double of the season with 15 kills and 15 digs, but it was not enough, as UW-Eau Claire dealt the Cardinals their first loss of the season, a 3-1 decision at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
• vs. Cornell — October 2, 2009 * Northfield, Minn.: The Cardinals pushed their winning streak to three straight, getting eight kills from both Courtney Runge (St. James, Minn.) and Amy Kujak (River Falls, Wis.) in a 3-0 win over Cornell during the opening day of the MIAC-IIAC Border Battle | Recap
 
Cardinals' Up Next:
• The Cardinals return to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, traveling to Macalester's Leonard Center in St. Paul, Minn., for a 7 p.m. match against the Scots.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2019 Roster | 2019 Schedule | 2019 Statistics
• Beginning with this weekend's appearance at the Coe Invitational, the Cardinals play their next eight matches on the road, not returning home to the Saint Mary's Gym until Oct. 2, when they host St. Thomas. … After playing their first five matches without a four-set decision, the Cardinals have posted three 3-1 wins in their last five contests — including Wednesday's conference-opening loss to Hamline. … DeJaye Baab (Wabasha, Minn.) recorded a career-high 42 digs in the Cardinals' loss to Hamline Wednesday — it was the most digs in a match since Theresa Perrini had 41 against Augsburg in 2008, and was just six digs shy of Perrini's single-match school-record 48, set against Loras, also during the 2008 season. … Saint Mary's boasted a pair of double-doubles against Hamline Wednesday. Lexi Barth (Byron, Minn.) recorded a 19-kill, 15-dig performance, while Lillian Braun (Mantorville, Minn.) added a 42-assist, 18-dig effort. … The double-doubles were the second of the season for both Barth and Braun. … Barth recorded her first collegiate double-double against Marian last Friday, posting 11 kills and adding a career-best 12 digs, while Elise Amerongen (Woodbury, Minn.) also posted her first double-double in a Cardinal uniform with a 10-kill, 17-dig showing against Beloit last Saturday. … Linnaea Wallis (Dresser, Wis.) leads the team with three double-doubles. … Coral Anderson (Rogers, Minn.) equaled her career high with 14 kills against Beloit last Saturday, while Hope Miner (Prescott, Wis.) recorded a career-best 11 kills against the Buccaneers. … Jordan Meyers (Eyota, Minn.) owned a career-high 18 digs and Mandy Schmidt (Mitchell, S.D.) dished out a career-high 35 assists against Beloit last Saturday. … Wallis' 17 kills against UW-Superior on Aug. 30 and 19 digs vs. UW-River Falls the following day were both career highs. … Daynalyn Jostock's (Millville, Minn.) 11 kills in the Cardinals' 3-2 loss to UW-River Falls on Aug. 31 were a career high. … Barth enters this weekend's four matches at the Coe Invitational leading the team in kills with 118, followed by Rachel Kedl (Lamberton, Minn.) with 84. … Braun, who recorded 42 assists against Hamline on Wednesday, owns 358 assists through 10 matches. … Braun has eclipsed the 50-assist barrier twice this season — dishing out 52 assists against Marian last Friday and adding a season-high 54 helpers against UW-Superior on Aug. 30 and 52 vs. Marian last Friday. … Braun has now finished with 50 or more assists in a match seven times in her collegiate career. … Braun, who owned a single-season career-high 1,098 assists a year ago — the most by a Cardinal in a season since 2013, when Lexi Assimos dished out 1,197 — has posted 20 or more assists in 36 of her last 37 matches and has recorded 20 or more assists 53 times in her four-year career. … Braun heads into this weekend's action with 2,353 career assists — eclipsing the 2,000 career assist mark with her sixth helper against UW-Superior on Aug. 30. … The Cardinals have recorded 67 service aces this season, led by Kedl (11), Baab (11), and Braun (10). … Baab owns a team-high 185 digs through nine matches, while Wallis is second with 81. … With their 2-2 showing at this year's season-opening Ground Round Sugar Loaf Classic, the Cardinals are now 13-3 in their last four Sugar Loaf Classics, while going 19-5 in their last six.
 
Scouting The Loras Duhawks:
2019 Roster | 2019 Schedule | 2019 Statistics
• The Duhawks enter tournament play this weekend boasting a 10-3 record — including wins in three of their last four matches. … Loras opened the season winning four straight and seven of its first eight. … The Duhawks have posted wins over two teams that were ranked in the AVCA Top 25, dropping then-No. 11 Gustavus 3-1 on Sept. 6, before beating then-No. 25 Washington (Mo.) University 3-2 the following day. … Kayla Kinney has been the team's offensive leader, boasting a team-high 151 kills, while Kelly Boge (92) and Jackie Alberto (90) are also closing in on the 100-kill barrier. … Jessalyn Rolling is the team's assist leader with 458, while Moira Mixan (24) and Krystal Tranel (18) lead the Duhawks in service aces. … Loras boasts four players — Tranel (195), Rolling (139), Kinney (120), and Mixan (108) — who have recorded 100 or more digs through the Duhawks' first 13 matches. … As a team, Loras has amassed 596 kills, 553 assists74 aces, and 747 digs. … Loras has played its last eight matches on its home court, going 6-2. The Duhawks are 4-1 away from home — including 3-0 in neutral-site matches.
 
Scouting The Ripon Red Hawks:
2019 Roster | 2019 Statistics | 2019 Schedule
• Ripon comes into its second straight weekend tournament sporting a 2-9 record. After opening the season with two wins in its first four contests, the Red Hawks have dropped seven straight — including all four matches at their home invitational last weekend. … Emily Allard and Inesha Wiseman lead the team in kills with 96 and 80 kills, respectively, followed by Lydia Ellis with 65 and Brooke Bauer with 60. … Along with her 65 kills, Ellis is hitting a team-high .253. … Ellie Mackenzie has done the majority of the setting for the Red Hawks, compiling 296 assists through 11 matches. … Micaela Encarnacion owns a team-high 18 service aces, nine more than Allard, while also leading the team in digs with 221. … Encarnacion is one of three Red Hawks to reach the 100-dig plateau, being joined by Arynn Matthieu (137 and Wiseman (100). … As a team, Ripon is averaging 9.86 kills-per-set and is hitting .143. … Five of Ripon's nine losses have been 3-0 sweeps. The Red Hawks have also dropped one four-set match and three that has gone the maximum five sets. On the flip side, Ripon owns one 3-0 win and one 3-2 win to account for its two victories.
 
Scouting The UW-Eau Claire Blugolds:
2019 Roster | 2019 Schedule | 2019 Statistics
• The Blugolds head into tournament play this weekend with a 6-5 overall record, falling to UW-Whitewater 3-0 in its most recent action on Wednesday. … The Blugolds matchup against Saint Mary's on Saturday will be the fifth time this season they have faced a team from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. UW-EC dropped matches to Saint Benedict (3-1) and Augsburg (3-2), while beating St. Thomas (3-0) and Gustavus (3-0). … Arianna Barrett enters the weekend with a team-leading 126 kills (3.41 kps) and is hitting a team-best .269. … Makenzie Bachmann is second to Barrett with 95 kills, followed by Kendra Baieri (77) and Abby Volk (76). … Abbey Pederson and Leah Witzel have shared the setting duties for the Blugolds, with Pederson accumulating 218 assists, with Witzel close behind with 141. … UW-Eau Claire owns 57 service aces, led by Barrett and Jenna Phillips with 11, and Bachmann and Taylor Scalia with eight. … Scalia and Bachmann have each eclipsed the 100-dig plateau, with Scalia owns a team-best 181 digs, while Bachmann is second with 118. … As a team, UW-Eau Claire has recorded 473 kills (12.45 kps), 433 assists, 57 aces, and 631 digs. … UW-Eau Claire has played five of its first 11 matches on its home court, going 3-2. The Blugolds are 3-3 on the road this season — including 2-1 in neutral-site matches.
 
Scouting The Cornell Rams:
2019 Roster | 2019 Schedule | 2019 Statistics
• Cornell enters this weekend's matches sitting at .500 (5-5), but is just 1-4 in its last five matches — including losses in each of their last three contests. … Saint Mary's is the Rams' second opponent from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference — Cornell dropped Carleton 3-1 during the ACM Tournament in Grinnell, Iowa, earlier this season. … Rory Light and Alissa McEndaffer share the team lead with 87 kills each, followed by Allison Eikenberry (77) and Barbie Becker. … Light, McEndaffer, Eikenberry, and Becker have combined for 321 of the team's 380 total kills through 10 matches. … Danielle Amonica is the team's assist leader, totaling 299, while also leading the Rams with 18 services aces. … Amonica is one of four Rams with 10 or more aces, being joined by Sydney Meeker (15), Katie Wycoff (10), and Becker (10). … Meeker and Becker lead the Rams in digs with 152 and 127, respectively, with Eikenberry and Light sharing the team's top spot with 20 blocks each. … As a team, Cornell owns 380 kills, 346 assists, 81 aces and 544 digs.