NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University volleyball team got off to a slow start Friday night in its season finale against St. Olaf.
 
Unfortunately, unlike matches past — in which SMU would get off to a sluggish start, only to come roaring back — the Cardinals were never able to get things warmed up, as the Oles dealt Saint Mary's a 3-0 setback at Skoglund Center.
 
The Oles, who entered Friday's match having only played twice this spring, took command early, racing out to a 22-9 advantage in the opening set, before holding off a fierce Cardinal comeback en route to a 25-18 victory.
 
Saint Mary's hung close in the second set, but again the Oles had t upper hand down the stretch, grabbing a 25-20 win for a quick, 2-0 lead. And with the momentum clearly on their side, the Oles completed the three-set sweep, dealing the Cardinals a 25-22 setback in the final set.
 
Playing in her final match as a Cardinal, Linnaea Wallis (Dresser, Wis.) picked up her eighth consecutive double-double, recording 12 kills and adding 11 digs. Mandy Schmidt (Mitchell, S.D.) recorded every one of the Cardinals' 28 assists, and DeJaye Baab (Wabasha, Minn.) matched Wallis for the team lead in digs with 11.
 
The Cardinals close out the nine-match, pandemic-shortened spring season with a 5-4 overall record.