DUBUQUE, Iowa — There was a familiar foe, and a not-so-familiar foe, waiting for the Saint Mary's University volleyball team when the Cardinals took the court for the opening day of the Loras Invitational Friday evening.
Familiar was good, not familiar …. not so much.
 
Saint Mary's, downed Buena Vista 3-1 in their first meeting at the season-opening Grinnell/Central Invitational on Sept. 3, did that one better in the teams' rematch, as the Cardinals rolled to a 3-0 victory in their first match of the day on Friday.
 
SMU's second match of the day, however, didn't go according to scrip, as Webster rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Cardinals 3-2.
 
Saint Mary's was stretched to the limit in its first set against Buena Vista, outlasting the Beavers 27-25, before completing the sweep with wins of 25-17 and 25-18.
 
Abbie Stigler led the way for the Cardinals, collecting a career-high 18 kills and hitting .385. Ciarra McNally (Lewiston, Minn.) notched a double-double with 10 kills and 11 digs, while Mandy Schmidt (Mitchell, S.D.) dished out 14 assists, two more than Larkin Clem (Elk River, Minn.), and Schmidt also collected a team-best 13 digs for her third double-double of the year.
 
Against the Gorlocks, Saint Mary's jumped out to what appeared to be a commanding 2-0 leading, but Webster rattled off three straight wins, including a 15-13 win in the fifth in decisive set en route to the 3-2 win.
 
Stigler — who eclipsed her career-high against Buena Vista —  with 21 kills against Webster and added a career-best 16 digs en route to her first collegiate double-double. McNally picked up her second double-double in as many matches with 14 kills and 10 digs, while Peyton Berg (Chatfield, Minn.) delivered a team-best 19 digs, with McNally chipping in 10 digs for her second double in as many outings.  
 
The Cardinals close out their stay in Dubuque, Iowa, with matches against Knox and Grinnell on Saturday.