|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
2003 Record: 0-0 MIAC / 2-2 Overall
|
| Last Week's Results: Aug. 29-30: SMU 3rd at Pikes Peak Challenge * Southwestern 3, Saint Mary's 2 * Bethel 3, Saint Mary's 2 * Saint Mary's 3, Buena Vista 0 * Saint Mary's 3, Colorado College 0 |
| This Week's Events: Fri-Sat., Sept. 5-6: SMU Sugar Loaf Classic |
| This and That: SMU's Ashley Dingels (Gibbon, Minn.) and Tracy Koertgen (Crystal Lake, Ill.) were named to the Piikes Peak Challenge All-Tournament Team. … Koertgen collected a team-high 54 kills and hit .348 in SMU's four matches last week, while Dingels tallied 53 kills and hit .364. … Koertgen also led the team with 16 service aces. … Tessa Stranik (Eatonville, Wash.) finished with 196 assists, including a career-high 58 in a 3-2 loss to Bethel. … SMUY opened its season losing the first 10 points vs. Southwestern. … Both of SMU's losses in the Pikes Peak Challenge came against nationally ranked teams (Southwestern and Bethel). |
WINONA, Minn. — There was no middle ground for the Saint Mary's University volleyball team at the season-opening Pikes Peak Challenge.
It was either one extreme or the other.
The Cardinals opened the tournament with a pair of heartbreaking 3-2 losses to nationally ranked Southwestern (Texas) University and MIAC rival Bethel. Less than 24 hours later, SMU made made quick work of both Buena Vista and host Colorado College.
Not about to work one minute more than they had to, the Cardinals quickly dispatched of Buena Vista 30-23, 30-28, 30-27, then made even quicker work of Colorado College, blasting the host Tigers 30-18, 30-27, 30-22.
"This was a real good tournament for us," said SMU coach Mike Lester. "We played two super-close matches (Friday) against two nationally ranked teams (Southwestern and Bethel). Both matches were matches that we could have, and probably should have, won, but we didn't finish them.
"(Against Buena Vista and Colorado College), we finished the matches."
Did they ever.
Ashley Dingels (Gibbon, Minn.) led the way for the Cardinals (2-2 overall) against Buena Vista, collecting a match-high 16 kills, while Tracy Koertgen (Crystal Lake, Ill.) and Molli Dant (Forest City, Iowa) added 11 and 10 kills, respectively. Tessa Stranik (Eatonville, Wash.) finished with 42 set assists, with Desiree Larson (Blaine, Minn.) and Rachel Rivers (Apple Valley, Minn.) each tallying 10 digs.
Dingels again led the way against Colorado College, recording 14 kills and boasting a .419 attach percentage. Stranik finished with 37 assists and Koertgen notched six of the Cardinals' nine service aces.
"I was really glad to see us bounce back (after Friday's losses) the way we did," said Lester. "Those were two very tough matches that could have gone either way. A break here or there, and we could have easily come out of the tournament 4-0."
Koertgen and Molli Dant (Forest City, Iowa) led the way for the Cardinals against Southwestern, collecting 17 and 16 kills, respectively. Koertgen also chipped in five service aces and three blocks. Lisa Engdahl (North Branch, Minn.) chipped in 12 kills and Dingels tallied eight kills and a team-leading six blocks. Stranik dished out 56 assists and Larson added 15 digs.
Koertgen was again the team-leader against Bethel, posting 17 kills and two blocks. Rivers and Dingels notched 15 and 14 kills, respectively, with Dant chipping in 12. Stranik recorded a career-high 58 assists, with Larson notching 17 digs.
"We had outstanding performances from a number of individuals, which was good to see," Lester said. "Overall it was a good weekend — we've got a lot of work to do, but I think we got off on the right foot."