RIPON, Wis. — After being stretched to the limit in each of their last three matches, the Saint Mary's University volleyball team took a little more conservative approach Friday evening.
 
The Cardinals — going a maximum five sets against Webster, Knox, and Grinnell in their final three matches at last weekend's Loras Invitational — needed just four sets to dispatch of Ripon 3-0 during the opening day of the Ripon Red Hawk Invitational.
 
After a lackluster opening set, in which SMU dropped a 25-19 decision, the Cardinals took complete control in the second set and never let the Red Hawks recover in cruising to wins of 25-22, 25-19, and 25-23 to seal the victory — and snap their three-match losing streak.
 
Brenna Bruchert (Eau Claire, Wis.) and Ciarra McNally led the charge for the Cardinals, with Bruchert tallying a career-high 16 kills, while McNally chipped in a double-double of 16 kills and 19 digs. Mandy Schmidt (Mitchell, S.D.) recorded a double-double of her own with 22 assists and 16 digs, and Larkin Clem (Elk River, Minn.) equaled Schmidt with 22 helpers. Patty Berg (Chatfield, Minn.) missed out on a single-match career-high, tallying 24 digs, and Abbie Stigler (Menomonee Falls, Wis.) notched her second double-double of the season with 11 kills and 10 digs.
 
Saint Mary's (6-6 overall) return to action on Saturday, when they square off against Lakeland (10 a.m.) and Maranatha Baptist (noon) during the final day of the two-day Red Hawk Invitational.