DECORAH, Iowa – Volleyball traveled to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa Tuesday for a Triangular between the University of Wisconsin La Crosse and host school Luther. The Cardinals finished the day 2-0 to move to 4-4 on the season after a fantastic night in Iowa.
 
SMU 3, UWL 2
 
The last time the Cardinals beat the Eagles was nine years ago in 2015, it was time to change the story in a five set thriller…
 
Neither team could find themselves stretching the lead more than two to start the match. A few tough serves and attacking errors created a 10-4 for the Eagles as they took the largest lead of the match. The Cardinals climbed their way back to get within one at 12-13 with two Kali Olson kills and tough Emma Rommes serves.  The Eagles took set one.
 
In set two, the Cardinals started yet again with back-and-forth ball. The Cardinals started to pull away after being tied at eights after setting up two back-to-back kills for Paige Klug and a kill for Brenna Bruchert to lead 12-8. The Cardinals continued to connect on kills from Olson and Bruchert forcing the Eagles two use both their timeouts. Kinlee Gratton went on a personal three point run and sealing the deal was an ace by Bruchert to win the second, 25-17.
 
The energy started to pick up as both teams strung out long rallies getting to 12-12 in the third set. Gratton set up her leading hitter Bruchert, who was already up to 12 kills on the night, and getting monster hits from Grace King and Olson to take a 17-13 lead. Olson added three kills to Bruchert's one which was enough to take set three, 25-21 taking a two set to one advantage.
 
The Cardinals mistakes seemed to spiral when the deficit fell two five at 6-11 forcing Head Coach Amber Zitzow into calling a timeout. Setter, Devann Clemens, assisted on two Olson and Bruchert kills to inch the Cardinals back into the match but the front line of the Eagles were too much for them as the Eagles force a set five.
 
Dominating in the fifth, Gratton fed King as she was on fire with three kills in the crucial set. The Cardinals took a 9-6 lead feeding off of the La Crosse errors before the Eagles called a timeout to regroup. Tied at 11's, Olson and Rossow turned that around with a kill and an ace. The Cardinals won the five-set thriller with a block from Bruchert to seal the deal.
 
 
SMU 3, Luther 1
 
Picking up right where they left off, The Cardinals fed Olson up the middle for a quick three kills and a service ace from Klug to take an early 5-3 lead. Luther could not find the bottom of the court with the net coverage of Olson and Bruchert as they recorded 5 blocks each to take the first set long 26-24.
 
The Cardinals high dropped in the second set as the Norse went up 6-0 to start the set. The Cardinals creeped back in with another kill by their hot hand Bruchert and an ace by Klug to get it within two at 6-8. Fighting back, Klug tallied 2 aces and rallied around the Norse errors that allowed the Cardinals back in. Cardinals take set 25-21.
 
In the third, the Cardinals started slow once more. The Norse offensively picked it up as they were putting up a wall for our hot hands. The Cardinals were being repeatedly blocked. Gratton subbed in after a Saint Mary's timeout and immediately set Bruchert for a slam coming within a point, 16-17, after being down 9-14. After another ace and a Klug kill, the Cardinals keep in close down one, 22-23. The late fight not enough, going to a fourth set.
 
Klug, Olson, and Bruchert led the Cardinals in scoring a majority of the fourth. The Cardinals had a come from behind win as Gratton did a great job serving tough balls that led to Norse being out of system. The Cardinals capitalized on finding the gap in the defense. To end the game in intense fashion, Bruchert served an ace to cap off her historic night to lead the Cardinals 2-0 on the night.
 
Tonight was a career night for many Cardinals. Bruchert had a career high 23 kills vs Luther, which beats her previous record of 20 that was set from the La Crosse match, and four aces vs Luther. Olson ties her career best of eight blocks against La Crosse. Klug had a career high of 10 kills vs Luther. Clemens and Gratton had a career high 23 and 24 assists vs Luther. Lindsey Rossow had five aces vs La Crosse. Lastly, Rommes had 3 aces vs Luther.
 
The Cardinals look to keep the win streak going as they head to Ripon on Friday, Sept. 13 to take on Alverno at 2pm.