PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher College women's volleyball team won their home opener, 3-1, (23-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-19) over the Wells College Express in the first game of the SJFC Invite at Manning and Napier Varsity Gym. 
 
Sophomore Alea Steigerwald had a game-high 24 kills, the second highest total in game for the outside hitter this season while posting a .358 hitting percentage. Junior Rebecca Hay dished out a game-high 43 assists. The Cardinals earn their fourth-straight victory to move to 7-5 on the season while the Express drops to 2-11 this year. 
 
Steigerwald got right to work with striking down two kills to open the match as Fisher went up 8-3 to start things out. Wells worked its way back into the set and took a tight lead down the stretch. A Steigerwald kill would make it 24-23 in favor of the visitors but the Express was able to pull out the opening frame. 
 
It was back-and-forth between the Cardinals and Express for the first half of the second set until a 3-0 Fisher run put it up 16-13. After Wells went on a 2-0 run, the Cardinals kept the momentum going with five straight points that was capped off by an ace from Freshman Alexis Mancha. Fisher closed out the set on a 4-1 run to take the second and square it up at one a piece. 
 
After playing from behind in the third set, the Cardinal took over with a 6-1 run to have a 19-15 edge. Up 22-17, Steigerwald made a remarkable dig and then got up to put away another kill with Hay setting the Penfield native up. A Lauren Gilbert kill gave Fisher the set and a 2-1 advantage. 
 
The Cardinals won the fourth and final set wire to wire. Seven straight points earned the home team a 10-point lead at 21-11. The Express fought off a few match points but it would be all she wrote on a Gilbert kill that clinched the victory for Fisher. 
 
Freshman Lindsey DeBonis had a career-high 13 kills in the game. Mancha had a career-high and game-high five aces while also recording a team-high 20 digs. 
 
The Cardinals will kick off the second day of action at their home invite on Saturday with an 11 a.m. matchup with Northern Vermont-Johnson. Fisher will finish off play with a 5 p.m. tilt against D'Youville College.