WINONA, Minn. – Make that ten straight sets won for the Saint Mary's volleyball team 12-9, 2-2). The Cardinals hosted a triangular on Saturday afternoon and took down the Macalester Scots (7-10, 2-3) and the Coe Kowhawks (6-13, 0-1) in straight sets to go a perfect 4-0 on the week.
SMU 3, MAC 0
It was back-to-back conference wins for the Cardinals, scratch that, conference sweeps.Â
The Cardinals played with fire and had some of their best defense of the season on display as they took down the Scots in game one.Â
Four attack errors and two kills from Kali Olson kicked off set one. The Cardinals continued to extend their lead with tough serving from Lindsey Rossow and the Olson sisters taking over. Next thing you know, the Cardinals were ahead 22-8. Cardinals took set one, 25-11.
The Scots started hot with their own 5-0 start. Kills by Kali Olson and Ava Berg brought the team back in the set, 8-4. When the team found themselves down a match low six points, errors built up, and so did the walls of Maddie Baker and Kaia DePaolo, sparking a 5-0 run to get within one, 11-10. The Cardinals notched another 5-0 run, as the errors for the Scots again shot them down.Â
The Cardinals finished on a 4-0 run with Berg's back-to-back kills to take set two, 25-19.
Lavin LeJeune's tough serving got the Cardinals up quickly, 5-2. The Olson sisters' four straight kills brought the energy to finish the match. Although it was a bit of back-and-forth, timely errors by the Scots and a finishing kill by Ayla Olson edged out the Scots in straight MIAC victories for the Cardinals.
Kali Olson led all scorers with 17 kills and seven blocks. Claire Rahman played gritty defense all game, recording 18 digs.
SMU 3, COE 0
Coe was looking to shut down Saint Mary's early with a 5-0 run. Working from behind, the Cardinals made it happen with a spark from Baker and back-to-back aces for Kinlee Grattan; the Cardinals pulled ahead 15-11. The Kohawks could not climb back; it was four errors and a kill by Baker that shut down the comeback. Cardinals take set one, 25-17.
Kali Olson had the hot hand in set two, starting with three quick kills as the Cardinals went up 5-3. Coe rallied back with a run of their own, 12-8, but Kali Olson and Brianna Hanneken held a strong presence at the net. The Cardinals finished set two on a 7-0 run, four points coming from Ayla Olson, to finish 25-16.Â
Looking for ten straight sets won, the Cardinals battled a tough final set. The Kohawks edged themselves 7-6 before Baker had a block and a kill, and three consecutive service aces shut down the run, 11-7.
It was tough serving by the Cardinals that had errors piling up for the Kohawks as Ava Berg recorded her first ace of her young career. The Cardinals pulled ahead 21-14 and did not let up.
They took set three, 25-18.
The Cardinals were on fire, hitting a season-best .355 against Coe.Â
Looking Ahead
The Cardinals will host Bethany Lutheran on Tuesday, Oct. 13, for a 7:00 p.m. nonconference matchup.
