DUBUQUE, Iowa — The Saint Mary's University volleyball team gained a bit of momentum when the Cardinals rallied from an early 5-0 deficit to come from behind to beat Luther 30-27 in the third and final game of last Wednesday's season opener.

And the Cardinals just picked up where they left off Friday night in the opening day of the River City Classic — full speed ahead.

SMU steamrolled past Coe and Clarke Friday, not dropping a game en route to back-to-back 3-0 victories — and a spot in Saturday's Gold Division bracket.

Ashley Dingels (Gibbon, Minn.) and Kirstan Rouzer (Comstock, Wis.) were a two-person wrecking crew against Coe, as Dingels tallied a match-high 16 kills and posted five blocks, while Rouzer chipped in 12 kills and 13 digs. Tessa Stranik (Eatonville, Wash.) dished out 43 assists and Tracy Koertgen (Crystal Lake, Ill.) tallied six kills, 13 digs and two blocks.

It was more of the same against Clarke, as Molli Dant (Forest City, Iowa) led the Cardinal charge with 13 kills, while Lisa Engdahl (North Branch, Minn.) finished with nine kills and 11 digs.