NORTHFIELD, Minn. — On Friday night, the Saint Mary's volleyball team (8-8,1-0 MIAC) kicked off conference play at Carleton (2-13,0-2 MIAC), leaving everything on the court. The Cardinals pulled off the reverse sweep of the Knights in a five-set thriller, 23-25, 12-25, 25-17, 25-14, 20-18, with a crucial comeback in the third set and a back-and-fourth thriller final set win. 

Kali and her sister Alya Olson led the team with 12 kills each on the night.

Emma Rommes excelled in defense, recording 22 digs, her career best, to anchor the backline. 

Saint Mary's began the first set with steady play, quickly evening the score at 1-1 with a kill from Maddie Baker. The teams traded points early, with Saint Mary's taking a slight edge at 6-5 following a service ace from K. Olson. Paige Klug and Brenna Bruchert added crucial kills to help the visitors maintain momentum, pushing their lead to 11-7.

Carleton, however, responded with a series of points. Key contributions from Grace King and Kali Olson helped Saint Mary's keep the score tight, even as Carleton fought back to level the game. In the closing stages, Saint Mary's narrowed the gap with a late service ace by Bruchert, but Carleton secured the set 25-23.

In set two, Saint Mary's gained an early advantage through a block by the Olson sisters, resulting in an attack error for Carleton. A. Olson and Bruchert contributed significant kills, helping maintain a competitive edge early on. However, Carleton's solid play shifted momentum, allowing them to pull ahead.

Carleton capitalized on several Saint Mary's errors, extending their lead midway through the set. Despite a service ace from Klug and another kill from A. Olson, the Cardinals faced challenges against Carleton's coordinated attacks and service pressure, closing the set at 25-12.

Knowing they had their backs against the wall, the Cardinals put it all on the line. The Cardinals established a stronghold in set three with a decisive mid-set rally. Following a neck-and-neck start K., A. Olson, and Bruchert contributed key kills, while Claire Rahman served an ace, spurring several attack errors from Carleton. This 8-0 run changed the game.

As the set progressed, Saint Mary's extended their lead with consistent offensive execution. A. Olson delivered multiple kills, supported by assists from Kinlee Grattan. Despite a late push from Carleton, the Cardinals maintained control, closing the third set at 25-17.

In set four, Saint Mary's capitalized on early Carleton errors to establish a 5-0 lead, with Rommes serving as a key catalyst. Carleton briefly rallied to narrow the gap to 5-4, but a kill by A. Olson helped stabilize the Cardinals momentum.

Saint Mary's continued to extended their lead with contributions from K. and Bruchert, pushing the score to 10-6. A series of errors by Carleton players, coupled with strategic plays from Baker and Klug, allowed Saint Mary's to pull away further.

In the closing stages, they maintained their advantage, reaching 24 points after a Carleton miscue. Klug sealed the set with a service ace, she had been serving tough all night, concluding the set 25-14.

Saint Mary's overcame an early 3-1 deficit after pushing the game to a fifth set, to level the score at 3-3, with K. Olson securing the equalizer through a kill set by Devann Clemens. The Cardinals then took a brief lead at 6-4 after an ace and a kill by K. Olson. Carleton responded with a series of plays to reclaim the advantage.

Trailing 11-7, Saint Mary's rallied as Klug delivered crucial kills, and the team capitalized on service errors to tie the score at 11-11. The Cardinals played loose and freely which gave them momentum in the crucial set.

They briefly fell behind again but regained momentum with a 4-1 run, highlighted by Klug's persistent offensive pressure, to pull ahead 15-14.

In the closing stretch, Saint Mary's maintained composure, regaining the lead at 19-18 following a key block by Baker and A. Olson after forcing extra points. 

The Cardinals captured the decisive points with an attack error by Carleton, sealing a 20-18 victory in the set.

The Cardinals will face their next opponent, St. Scholastica, on Saturday, October 4, with a 3:00 p.m. start in Duluth.