PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Alea Steigerwald notched her 1,000 career kill and head coach Kelly Greapentrog secured her 200th career win on Sunday as the St. John Fisher College women's volleyball team made its season debut with a sweep of the Russell Sage Gators on Bobby Wanzer Court. With the two wins, Fisher, which is coming off its first-ever Empire 8 Championship in 2019, improved to 2-0 overall and in the conference while the Gators ended the afternoon at 0-3 on the year and in the Empire 8 standings.

FISHER 3, SAGE 0

After cruising to a 25-12 win in the first set, Fisher sustained its momentum in the second frame with nine of the set's first 11 points including three service aces.

The Gators would cut the deficit to four points after back-to-back attack errors by the Cardinals, but Fisher countered with four quick points of its own to push its lead to 16-8.  As the set wore on, Fisher continued to find weak spots in the Gators' rotation with the home team accounting for six kills down the stretch including Steigerwald's 1,000^th kill which sealed the win, 25-14.

In the third and deciding set, Sage found a rhythm at the service line and held Fisher in check at the net as the score remained deadlocked at 6-6.  The tides would shift quickly, however, with the Cardinals scoring seven unanswered points including two kills apiece from Caroline Leva and Delayne Young to open up a 13-6 cushion.

From there, Sage would cut the gap to four points, but was unable to match the Cardinals' fire power as Fisher completed the straight-set win, 25-18.

Steigerwald finished with a game-high 12 kills to go along with nine digs and three aces while Lindsey DeBonis contributed nine kills and four digs over three sets.  Young put home six kills and Rebecca Hay dished out 36 assists in the win.

FISHER 3, SAGE 0

Both teams trade points as the first set got underway until the Cardinals began to pull away after rattling off four unanswered points including kills from Hay and DeBonis to open up a 13-7 lead.

The Gators pulled to within five, 15-10, but Fisher kept its foot on the gas and used a 5-0 run to extend its lead to 20-10.  As the frame continued, Sydney French clubbed a pair of kills as the Cardinals scored five of the final six points for a 25-13 win.

After cruising to a 25-7 win in the second set following a 12-0 run, Fisher carried over its momentum and used a 10-2 burst to begin the third.  Sage looked to cut into Fisher's lead and came to within six, 17-11, but the Cardinals proved to be too much at the service line in a 25-14 win.

French led Fisher in the second game with seven kills while DeBonis hammered six kills of her own.  Young had five kills and four aces in the win while Molly Taylor and Katie Leaty combined to produce 15 assists.

The Cardinals will return to action at 7 p.m. on Wednesday when they travel to Elmira to take on the Soaring Eagles in another Empire 8 bout.