Fisher Prevails In Straight Sets Win At Bengal Invite
BUFFALO, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College women's volleyball team opened up play at the Buffalo State Bengal Invite on Friday night with a straight-sets win against John Carroll University (25-23, 25-23, 26-24). Sophomore
Alea Steigerwald had a game-high 19 kills while freshman
Lauren Gilbert added 10 kills with a .375 hitting percentage.
The Cardinals ability to come away with clutch points late in each set was the difference as all three frames were even throughout the match. Fisher moves to 4-5 on the season while the Blue Streaks drop to 7-3 this year.
Fisher got out to an early 5-1 lead in the first set and then pushed it up to a 10-5 advantage. John Carroll would storm back and take a lead later in the set until the Cardinals put together three-straight points to tie it at 18 and force a timeout from the Blue Streaks. Coming out of the break was a long rally where Fisher would eventually come away with the point.
Steigerwald stepped up with one of her big kills at 21-all to take back the lead. On set point, the Cardinals stymied multiple Blue Streaks' attacks until John Carroll eventually sent one wide to give Fisher the opening set.
Fisher kept the momentum in its favor heading into the second set. A 4-0 run put them in the driver's seat with an 18-10 lead. John Carroll came back though and even fought through three set points to put the pressure on the Cardinals at 24-23. Fisher came through in the clutch with junior
Rebecca Hay earning the kill to seal the set and put the Cardinals in a 2-0 advantage.
The Cardinals had to play from behind to start the third set until a four-point streak gave them an 11-8 edge. It was a back and forth affair the rest of the set with the Blue Streaks holding a 24-22 lead and two chances to take the set. But Fisher provided another example of resiliency to tie it at 24 a piece with kills from Gilbert and freshman
Elly Hepburn.
After a John Carroll timeout, the Cardinals took back the lead with Gilbert coming through with her final kill of the night. That set up a match point for Fisher and the Cardinals took advantage of their first opportunity to earn the sweep. All four of the Cardinals wins this season have come in sweeping fashion. Hay had a game-high 35 assists. Freshman
Alexis Mancha led Fisher in digs with 15.
Fisher will play two more matches at Buffalo State on Saturday afternoon. They face Cazenovia College at 1 p.m. and then Medaille College at 3 p.m.
