WHITEWATER, Wis. — The opening day of the UW-Whitewater Invitational didn't get off quite the way the Saint Mary's University volleyball team had hoped.
 
And, unfortunately for the Cardinals, the end of Day 1 didn't go any better.
 
After dropping a 3-0 decision to Concordia (Wis.) in their opening match of the two-day tournament, the Cardinals were one set away from suffering a second straight 3-0 setback in their second match of the evening against Carroll.
 
Braidyn Ruetten (Holmen, Wis.) and Izabella Pigorsch (La Crosse, Wis.) led the Cardinals' offensive attack in their opener against Concordia (Wis.), each collecting seven kills, two more than Elise Amerongen (Lake Elo, Minn.). Larkin Clem (Elk River, Minn.) and Mandy Schmidt (Mitchell, S.D.) recorded 12 and 11 assists, respectively, and DeJaye Baab (Wabasha, Minn.) posted a team-best 10 digs, one more than Hannah Skroch (Savage, Minn.)
 
As good as she was in the Cardinals' first match, Ruetten was at her best against the Pioneers, as the sophomore racked up a career-high 17 kills. It was a career-high match for Pigrosch, as well, as the freshman chipped in a career-best 14 kills. Schmidt notched her fourth assist-dig double-double, dishing out 38 assists and adding 14 digs, while Baab finished with a team-best 22 digs.
 
The Cardinals (5-10) close out their two-day stay in Whitewater, Wis., on Saturday, squaring off against host UW-Whitewater and Carthage.