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Friday, October 11, 2002 |
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(Through Thursday, October 10) |
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The Cardinals dropped their third straight, falling to St. Olaf 3-2 in an MIAC match Wednesday. … Macalester, meanwhile, also lost its third straight, falling to Concordia 3-0 Wednesday. |
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Tracy Koertgen recorded a match-high 15 kills and Kirstan Rouzer added 11 kills and eight digs as the Cardinals rolled to a 3-0 win over Macalester on Oct. 5, 2001. |
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SMU’s five-game, 3-2 loss to St. Olaf on Wednesday was just the second time in 23 matches that a Cardinals’ match has gone the maximum five games — SMU has lost both. … SMU is in the midst of its third three-match losing streak of the season. … Macalester’s current three-match slide also equals a season high. … Ashley Dingels’ (Gibbon, Minn.) 22 kills vs. St. Olaf were a season high. |
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Sophomore/ OH Hometown Major |
WINONA, Minn. — Mike Lester wasn’t about to put any added pressure on his Saint Mary’s University volleyball team, but the Cardinals head coach knew the importance of his team’s upcoming matches against St. Olaf, Macalester and St. Catherine.
Three wins, and the Cardinals were right back in the thick of the chase for a spot in the MIAC post-season tournament.
Anything less than a three-match sweep, and the Cardinals’ playoff hopes would be alive, but just barely.
Thanks to Wednesday’s heartbreaking 3-2 loss to St. Olaf, SMU’s bid for a post-season invitation was officially put on life support.
The Cardinals opened strong, winning the first game 30-28, but St. Olaf rallied to even the match with a 30-26 win in Game 2, then crushed SMU in Game 3, 30-19, before the Cardinals regrouped with a 30-25 win to force a fifth and deciding game, which the Oles dominated from start to finish, 15-6.
“That match was a battle,” admitted Lester. “Both teams were so evenly matched — and so similar in styles of play — that it didn’t surprise me that it went five (games). It was one of those matches that could have gone either way.”
Unfortunately, it went the Oles’ way — and left the Cardinals facing five straight must-win conference matches.
“We talked after the match and I told the team that we need to win out,” said Lester, whose team has five MIAC matches remaining, beginning tonight against Macalester. “We can not afford to lose another conference match, it’s that simple.”
Problem is, it sounds a lot simpler than it is.
With matches this weekend against Macalester (2-4 MIAC) and St. Catherine (0-6), then a road match against St.Thomas (6-0) and home matches against Carleton (3-3) and Gustavus (3-3), the road to a perfect 5-0 mark is going to be a rocky one.
“Our backs are to the wall,” said Lester. “We we also can control our own destiny. Right now, we’re tied for eighth with Macalester, but four of our last five matches are against teams ahead of us in the standings. It’s certainly not going to be easy, but I don’t see why — if we play the way we are capable of playing — we can’t run the table and get into the (MIAC) tournament.
“From there, it’s a whole new season and anything can happen.”