SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Saint Mary's (10-10, 3-2 MIAC) volleyball came out on top in a gritty five-set showdown against Macalester (3-16, 0-5 MIAC) on Saturday at the Leonard Center, notching their second consecutive MIAC victory.

Brenna Bruchert powered the Cardinals with 25 kills and 25 points, while Kali Olson added 18 kills, hitting .429, and contributed seven total blocks. Maddie Baker chipped in five blocks on defense, and Devann Clemens led the offense with 26 assists and three blocks.

The Cardinals came out strong in the opening set, building early momentum with solid serving, a replay of what they did against the Pipers, and timely kills. K. Olson and Bruchert led the attack as Saint Mary's pulled away late to take the first set 25-21.

Macalester responded in the second, keeping pace with the Cardinals throughout. Despite key plays from Bruchert and Paige Klug, the Scots rallied late, taking advantage of Cardinal errors to win 25-22 and even the match. 

The third set followed a similar pattern. Saint Mary's held an early edge, but Macalester gained control midway through and held on for a 25-20 win, putting the Cardinals on the ropes.

Down two sets to one, Saint Mary's came alive in the fourth. Clemens and Olson combined for an early block that helped swing momentum. Bruchert continued her dominant night at the net, and the Cardinals took control after breaking a 15-15 tie. With K. Olson leading a strong finish, Saint Mary's claimed the set 25-18 to force a decisive fifth.

The final set was a back-and-forth battle. The Cardinals jumped ahead 5-2 behind strong play from Bruchert and Klug, but the Scots fought back to tie it at 13-13. With the match on the line, an attack error from Macalester gave Saint Mary's the edge, and Kinlee Grattan delivered the final blow with a service ace to seal the 15-13 win.

The victory marked a resilient performance by the Cardinals, who overcame a 2-1 deficit and closed out the match with clutch execution under pressure.

After wrapping up a busy three-match week, the Cardinals now shift their focus to hosting Saint Benedict on October 18 at 5:00 p.m.