ERIE P.A. – The St. John Fisher College men's volleyball team split two games Saturday after falling for the first time to nationally-ranked Juniata College, 2-3, and then defeating Penn State-Behrend, 3-1. With the split, Fisher, who is ranked 9th in the latest United Volleyball Coaches Association, moves to 8-1 on the year. 
 
FISHER 2, NO. 15 JUNIATA 3
 
After taking the first set 25-23, Fisher fell behind 21-13 in the second. After a service error by the Eagles, the momentum flipped as Paul Hackford and Jake Baker commanded an 8-1 run to bring the Cardinals to within one point. 
 
Despite the comeback, the Eagles were able to put the set away, 25-23, and tie the match up 1-1. Leading off the third set, the Cardinals ignited a 9-1 run behind kills by Josh Bigford and Baker. 
 
With a comfortable lead, Fisher finished off the third set, 25-16, behind a set high four kills by Griffin Stella. 
 
The fourth set was a back-and-forth battle with neither team taking more than a one-point advantage over the first 18 points. With the score tied 18-18, Juniata was able to go on a 4-1 run and take a 22-19 lead and eventually close out the set and tie the match up 2-2. 
 
After falling 25-22 in the fourth, the Eagles were able to claim the fifth set, 15-10, and knock off Fisher for the first time this year. 
 
Bigford led the Cardinal attack with 20 kills followed by Baker with 15, and Griffin with 8. Hackford and Matt Beiter finished the game with four blocks each, while setter Evan Ingerick had 43 assists and libero David Cerqua tallied 13 digs.  
 
FISHER 3, PENN STATE-BEHREND 1
 
Following the Cardinals first loss of the year, head coach Stephen England's squad faced off against the Behrend Lions.
 
After falling in the first set, 25-23, the Cardinals offense bounced back to their true form with kills from Bigford and Beiter allowing the road team to jump to a 13-5 lead. 
 
From there, Fisher was able to capitalize on a 4-1 run to close the set, 25-16, behind a baker kill and a block by Ivan Lopez and Gavin Newman.
 
Following a 25-23 set victory, the Cardinals were nearing their eighth win of the season as they jumped out to a 17-11 lead. 
 
As the set wore on, the Behrend Lions closed the gap to two points before Beiter and Matt Cieplicki produced kills to give the Cardinals a 25-21 win.
 
As a team, the Cardinals hit .297 with 58 kills and 10 blocks. Hackford led the team with 12 kills followed by Bigford with 11 and Beiter with 10. Lopez produced six blocks while Newman finished with 48 assists, while Cerqua notched 17 digs.
 
The Cardinals will be back in action at 1 p.m. on Sunday as they travel to Daemen College.