LA CROSSE, Wis. – The volleyball team finished the La Crosse Invitational splitting the two games of the day. The Cardinals beat Martin Luther in a five-set thriller and lost to a tough Nebraska Wesleyan team.
 
SMU 3, MLC 2
 
The Cardinals kept the first set close as they stayed within a point or two behind until about the 10^th point. The Knights began to extend their lead after a few out of reach kills put them ahead 13-9. Paige Klug had a kill and turned around for an ace and a few errors on the other side to get the Cardinals within one at 14-15. The Cardinals had no answer after the Knights closed out set one on a five-point run to win 25-22.
 
The Knights picked up where they left off as they started the second set with another five-point run to take the early lead. Kali Olson and Brenna Bruchert each tallied two quick kills and got things tied at nines. Devann Clemens found the sweet spot for her hitters as she assisted on four kills for Olson. Klug, and Bruchert to help the team take a 21-16 lead. The Knights fought back on a seven-point run. A late kill from Brianna Hanneken was not enough as the Knights had the momentum to take set two.
 
In a must win set, the Cardinals fed off a few attack errors from the Knights and kills from Bruchert to take the 11-9 lead. The Cardinals felt the pressure falling 18-15 but Caitlan Bakken started a massive run for the Cardinals with an ace followed by two Bruhcert kills and a few errors on the other side of the net. The Cardinals won set three 25-19.
 
Another must win set for the Cardinals started off with contributions from Hanneken, Olson, and Bruchrert to take a lead. The Cardinals became unstoppable after five attack errors from the Knights and a personal three-point rally for Bakken with three aces in a row to take a commanding 16-7 lead. Lindsey Rossow added an ace and an assist to Bruchert to add to the fun. After another service ace from Bakken, it closed out the fourth set at 25-22.
 
In the fifth set, Olson, Klug, and Bruchert got the Cardinals on the board. Bruchert had four kills and Olson had three as the Cardinals closed out the five set thriller on top, 15-13.
 
Clemons set a career high in assists at 35 in the match!
 
SMU 0, NW 3
 
The Prairie Wolves jumped out ahead of the Cardinals and stunned them a bit as the only points that came from the Cardinals were off a Kinlee Grattan ace, a kill by Bruchert, a kill by Klug, and a block from Hanneken and Grace King. The rest where Prairie Wolf errors winning set one 25-14.
 
The Cardinals responded with their own 6-2 run to start the second set with two kills from Olson and a few tough serves from Emma Rommes to get them out of system. A few attack errors diminished the lead for the Cardinals as they fell 8-11. The Cardinals tried to stay in the set with three kills from Bruchert and a block from her and Hanneken as they had the set tied at 20's. The Knights finished on a five-point run to win set two.
 
 
The Cardinals fought to not get swept but the Prairie Wolves offense was too much as they jumped out to a 6-1 lead. Olson and Bruchert added a kill and a block to keep it within four, but the deficit fell to nine after many tough kills on the other end. The Cardinals could not overcome the deficit and were swept by Nebraska Wesleyan.
 
The Cardinals begin MIAC play this week and open up their first official home game Friday, Sept. 27^th for a 7 p.m. start.