WHITEWATER, Wis. – The Cardinals traveled to Whitewater, Wisconsin on Friday to start day one of the two day invite hosted by the Warhawks. The Cardinals faced Carthage College in the first game and lost in three sets.
 
Grace King, Alison Wu, and Paige Klug got the Cardinals started earning some early momentum in the first set. That was until Carthage went on an eight to nothing run. Two added kills from Klug and a service ace from Kinlee Grattan helped build from their deficit.
 
The Cardinals got within three of the first set at 16-13 but three attack errors on the Cardinals, a service ace for the Firebirds, and three kills to finish on a seven point rally to beat the Cardinals.
 
The Cardinals started the second set going back-and-fourth until the Firebirds extended the lead to four at 9-5. Kali Olson added two kills and Klug poured in three kills to add to her dominate performance, as she led the team in kills, to get the score even at 13's. After trading the next three points, the Firebirds fed their outside hitters and made a late run. A block by King and Gretchen Bredberg with Olson adding two kills was not enough in the late push to take set two.
 
Looking to not get swept, the Cardinals led for the first time all night to start the third set, 5-3 with kills from Olson and Klug. Gratton recorded her second ace of the night to add to the 7-3 lead. Carthage turned things around and went one a six to nothing run to take back the lead. The Cardinals tried to build off the attack errors the Firebirds recorded but it was not enough as they fell in set three, 25-19.
 
Klug led the team with 10 kills in the loss to Carthage. Devann Clemens assisted on 13 kills and Grattan with two aces.
 
The Cardinals turn around for day two of the invite playing ranked UW-Whitewater at noon tomorrow, Oct. 18^th.