LA CROSSE, Wis. - The Saint Mary's volleyball team (5-4) traveled across the river for a Wednesday triangular against UW-LaCrosse and Luther at the Eagles arena.

SMU 0, UWL 3

The first set between the Cardinals and the Eagles began with a back-and-forth exchange, as both teams struggled to establish a clear lead. Saint Mary's initially pulled ahead with a kill by Ayla Olson at 1-0 and maintained a slight edge until the UW-LaCrosse team regained the lead at 5-4. A pivotal moment came when the Cardinals took a 15-11 lead, fueled by Kali Olson's kills and a service ace by A. Olson. However, UW-LaCrosse responded with a decisive rally, scoring seven consecutive points to move from 18-18 to 25-19. The set concluded with the Eagles on top, securing a 25-19 win for Wis.-La Crosse.

The second set began with a service ace from Claire Rahman, giving the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead, but the Eagles quickly responded contributing to a 3-1 advantage. A. Olson made multiple successful attacks for Saint Mary's, but the Eagles maintained control with consistent scoring. Despite a brief rally from the Cardinals, which included a service ace by Brenna Bruchert, the Eagles culminated in a 25-16 win in the set.

In the third set, the Eagles capitalized on a series of errors to establish an early advantage. After an initial tie at 2-2, La Crosse surged ahead with a 5-0 run. The Cardinals attempted to regain momentum with a kill by K. Olson, narrowing the gap to 9-7. However, the Eagles responded with a decisive stretch, extending their lead to 15-7. The Cardinals could not dig themselves out of the hole and LaCrosse secured the set, finishing 25-11.

SMU 3, LU 1

In the final match up of the day the Cardinals defeated Luther College in four sets.

The first set began with both teams exchanging points, but the Cardinals quickly found their rhythm. Bruchert, with key kills assisted by Kinlee Grattan and Paige Klug, helped push them ahead. A pivotal moment occurred when K. Olson's service ace extended their lead to 17-10. Despite a brief rally from Luther, the Cardinals closed the set with consecutive points, including a service ace by Klug, ultimately securing the set with a commanding finish, 25-17.

In the second set, the Cardinals established an early lead over the Norse, highlighted by a five-point run initiated by A. Olson's kill at 2-2. A. Olson's offensive skills were evident as she registered multiple kills, contributing to the momentum. Klug added a service ace, and Isabella Schei continued the pressure with another ace, pushing the score to 9-3. Devann Clemens played a key role in setting up kills, assisting the Olson sisters to widen the gap. Luther struggled to regain footing as Saint Mary's capitalized on several attack errors, closing the set decisively at 25-9 with a final kill from K. Olson.

In the third set, Luther capitalized on a strong start, opening with a 4-0 run. The Cardinals struggled to find rhythm early, hindered by attack errors and a service error, which allowed Luther to extend their lead to 9-3. Luther maintained control and sealed the set with a decisive kill, concluding the set at 25-16.

The Cardinals started the fourth set with a quick lead, highlighted by a kill from K. Olson assisted by Grattan. The set remained tightly contested with both teams exchanging points until the score was tied at 8-8. However, the Cardinals seized control with a critical service ace by A. Olson and extended their lead to 10-8. Klug's exceptional serving, including multiple service aces, propelled Saint Mary's into a dominant 21-11 advantage. It was all Cardinals in the final set with a 25-13 decisive victory in the set.

The Cardinals are back on the road this weekend in Iowa for a Loras Invite where they will open play this Friday, September 12th at 5:00 p.m. versus Wartburg.