LA CROSSE, Wis. — The Saint Mary's University volleyball team found itself playing catch-up from the get-go Tuesday evening in its final nonconference match of the season.
 
And try as they might, the Cardinals were never able to chase down host UW-La Crosse, as the Eagles dealt Saint Mary's a 3-0 setback at UW-L's Mitchell Hall.
 
UW-La Crosse set the tone early, racing out to a 16-8 lead in the opening set, before cruising to a 25-15 victory.
 
It was more of the same in the second set, as the Eagles again slowly pulled away from the Cardinals, owning an 18-10 lead and closing the set by scoring seven of the final 13 points for a 25-16 victory — and a 2-0 lead the best-of-five match.
 
The third set proved to be a mirror image of the first — which was not good news for the Cardinals. Saint Mary's scored the first point of the set, but then surrendered six unanswered points and were staring at a 6-1 deficit. UW-L pushed its lead eight twice — 18-10 and 22-14 — and cruised to a sweep-clinching, 25-15 victory.
 
Ciarra McNally (Lewiston, Minn.) closed out the match with her fifth double-double of the season, compiling 13 kills and adding 11 digs. The sophomore accounting for 10 of SMU's 11 kills through the first two sets, and finished with all but five of the team's 18 kills.
 
Mandy Schmidt (Mitchell, S.D.) dished out 10 assists and DeJaye Baab (Wabasha, Minn.) was second to McNally with eight digs.
 
The Cardinals (7-14 overall) are back on the road for a final time this weekend, as Saint Mary's heads to St. Joseph, Minn., for a 7 p.m. MIAC matchup against Saint Benedict on Friday, before heading to Concordia's Memorial Auditorium in Moorhead, Minn., for a 3 p.m. conference showdown against the Cobbers the following afternoon.