By John RittenhouseThe Luverne Cardinals opened play in the South Section 3AA Volleyball Tournament Monday by posting an opening-round victory in Jackson.Eighth-seeded LHS squared off against No. 9 Lake Crystal-Welcome-Memorial in a match that would send one team to Friday’s quarterfinals.The Cardinals extended their season by outscoring the Knights 75-39 during a 3-0 victory.Luverne advances to Friday’s quarterfinals in Windom, where it takes on top-seeded Jackson County Central at (approximately) 7:30 p.m. The 7-18-2 Cardinals entertained JCC for a Southwest Conference match Oct. 6. The Huskies swept LHS in three games.The Cards had little trouble in disposing of the Knights during Monday’s match in Jackson. LC-W-M sported early leads in all three games, but Luverne won all three by comfortable margins.After trailing by two points in Game 1, the Cards forged in front 9-5 when Maggie Kuhlman delivered a service point. The Knights rallied to gain a 12-11 edge. LHS countered with an 11-0 run capped by an ace block by Meghan Cronberg to take a 22-12 lead that led to a 25-17 victory.LC-W-M sported a 5-4 lead in the second game before Luverne put together a 21-5 run that ended with Chelsea Park serving the final point of a 25-10 win.The Knights scored the first point of the third game only to be outscored 25-11 the rest of the way by LHS, which received a match-ending service ace from Brittany Vogt.Erin Hoiland (17 of 18 with eight aces and 14 points), Dinah Xaphakdy (13 of 14 with 13 points and one ace), Park (15 of 17 with 12 points and five aces) and Vogt (seven of eight with two aces and four points) served well for the Cards.Cronberg, who recorded five blocks along with Hoiland, led LHS with seven kills. Park and Kuhlman added four and three kills respectively.Xaphakdy and Park contributed eight and five set assists to the cause.