PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College women's volleyball team's comeback fell just short in a five set thriller versus East Avenue rival Nazareth College on Wednesday night, inside a packed Manning and Napier Gymnasium 21-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-19, 7-15. With the loss, the Cardinals fall to 8-8 overall and 2-1 in the Empire 8, while the Golden Flyers move to 11-3 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

Both teams came out swinging in the first set, as the Cardinals led in the kill department throughout the first, however Nazareth used a pair of four-point runs to its advantage taking the first set in front of a very energetic crowd.

Once again, both teams traded points back-and-forth for the first half of the second set, until Alea Steigerwald gave the Cardinals a 15-13 advantage with a five-point serving run. However, the Golden Flyers were able to gain control from there, with a six-point serving run, followed by a late 4-1 run to help them take a two sets to none lead.

From the start, the third set was all Fisher starting the third on an 11-4 run. Rebecca Hay started the set off with two service aces, while Izzy Smith had the hot hand notching three kills. After a Nazareth timeout Fisher continued to hold the momentum for the remainder of the set, as Steigerwald, Erica Pawlewicz, and Olivia Levulis all finished with three kills.

Identical to the fourth set, the Cardinals stormed out to a 4-0 lead with the help of two more Hay service aces. After both teams continued to battle point for point, Fisher led on the scoreboard, midway through the fourth set 17-16, off of a kill from Julia Halsey.

The Cardinals would then rally five-straight points off with the help of a Kara Kingsbury service ace and a Steigerwald kill. Fisher continued to keep the pressure on Nazareth, finishing off the fourth set with another Steigerwald kill, to tie the match up at two sets apiece and force a deciding fifth set.

Opposite from the third set, it was Nazareth this time taking control of the set early and maintaining the momentum throughout. The Golden Flyers declined Fisher's comeback attempt from two sets down, as Steigerwald, Hay, and Smith all had kills in the final set.

Steigerwald led all hitters with a game-high 20 kills, to go along with a .419 hitting percentage, 14 digs, and two service aces. Smith pitched in 14 kills and five service aces from the right side position, while Pawlewicz and Levulis each finished with six kills.

Elise Kreuz had an impressive day defensively, finishing with a game-high 25 digs, while the Fisher setter Hay tallied a game-high 44 assists and five service aces.

The Cardinals return to action on Friday, when the travel to Saratoga Springs to compete in the Skidmore Invitational. Fisher's first match will take place on Friday at 8 p.m. versus Skidmore College, followed by two matches on Saturday versus the College of New Rochelle and Plattsburgh State.