WINONA, Minn. — Just a heads-up to all Saint Mary's University professors, if
Linnaea Wallis (Dresser, Wis.) does not raise her arm to answer a question during any of Thursday's lectures, it's not that the senior doesn't know the answer — it's that she probably can't lift that powerful right arm above her shoulder.
Wallis hammered home 30 kills on 63 swings and hit a whopping .413 in leading the Cardinal volleyball team to its fourth straight victory, a 3-1 triumph over Hamline Wednesday at the Saint Mary's Gym.
Wallis' 30-kill effort fell one kill short of the single-match school record of 31, set by Brandi Blattner against Bethel on Oct. 21, 2016. The senior was one of three Cardinals to finish in double figures in kills, being joined by
Ciarra McNally (Lewiston, Minn.) and
Coral Anderson (Rogers, Minn.), who chipped in 11 and 10 kills, respectively.
Mandy Schmidt (Mitchell, S.D.) dished out 43 assists — marking the second straight match in which the Cardinal sophomore has recorded 43 helpers and the third consecutive match with 40-plus assists.
DeJaye Baab (Wabasha, Minn.), the reigning MIAC Defensive Player of the Week, recorded 17 digs, with Wallis adding 14 — completing her fourth double-double in five matches — and
Grace Gilles (Apple Valley, Minn.) chipping in 13.
The first set was a tale of two halves — and included three lead changes and six tied scores. The Cardinals had the upper hand early, leading by as many as three. In fact, the Cardinals did not trail through the first 28 points of the set, and after surrendering the lead for the first time at 15-14, was still playing from in front, 17-16. Unfortunately, that would be the last time the Cardinals would play with the lead, surrendering five straight points — and nine of the final 11 — to drop the first set 25-19.
It was another 9-2 run that helped decide the second set, which ended with a second straight 25-19 decision — this one ending in the Cardinals' favor. Saint Mary's led 6-3, gave up four straight points and six of seven to trial 9-7, before rattling off six unanswered points as part of its 9-2 run to take a 16-11 lead. Hamline would cut the deficit to three, but would get no closer as Saint Mary's evened the match at 1-1.
The Cardinals got off to a slow start in the third set, staring at an early 5-2 hole. But in the blink of an eye, that three-point deficit hand transformed into an 8-5 lead — a lead Saint Mary's would not relinquish, building leads as big as seven twice, before settling for a five-point, 25-20 win — and 2-1 lead.
Saint Mary's iced win No. 4 on the season with their third straight set win against the Pipers, , pulling away late, scoring six of the final nine points to turn a 19-15 nailbiter into a 25-18 victory.
The Cardinals (4-1 overall) are back in action on Saturday, heading to Gus Young Court in St. Peter, Minn., for a 3 p.m. showdown against Gustavus.
