Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Saint Mary's volleyball team (8-3) got the weekend started with a sweep of the Loras Duhawks (5-6) on Friday night. The Cardinals faced the Duhawks in the lone match of the night and had six student-athletes with six kills. 

The Duhawks jumped out to an early 6-2 lead in set one. Kills by Ava Berg, Kali Olson, and Brianna Hanneken swung the momentum Cardinals way. During a six-point swing, Ayla Olson recorded three service aces to pull the team ahead 14-9.

The Cardinals slammed the door shut on a comeback for the Duhawks with a kill by Kali Olson, winning set one, 25-21.

In set two, the attack was on fire. The Cardinals earned 17 kills in the set. Ayla Olson got the team going with a personal three-kill run, taking the lead 7-4. Another six-point run fueled the Cardinals in the middle of the rally as the team jumped ahead 17-11 with help from tough serves from Claire Rahman. 

Hanneken finished the second set with the hot hand, with three big kills, 25-17.

It was all Cardinals for the rest of the match.

An 8-0 run kicked off the final set of the night with help from the service line with Brooklyn Bolton and tough attacks by Hanneken and Kaia DePaolo.

All set, there was no response from the home team. 

The Cardinals held the Duhawks to .138 attacking, a day low, while the Cardinals posted a dominant .414.

Hanneken and Ayla Olson led the Cardinals with 10 kills each. 

Looking Ahead

The Cardinals will stay in Dubuque as they will play at the University of Dubuque tomorrow, Sept. 19, facing Dubuque at 1:00 p.m. before a rematch with Lawrence at 3:00 p.m. to end the weekend in Iowa.