PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- The St. John Fisher University women's volleyball team bested Hartwick College Saturday afternoon in three straight sets. He Cardinals now hold a record of 9-4 and 4-0 in Empire 8 games. The Hawks fall too 11-4 and 3-1 in the E8.
 
The Cardinals took command in the first set and never looked back, besting the Hawks in three sets, 25-11, 26-24, 25-13. The win moves Fishers win streak to five straight games, winning each contest in just three sets. The Cardinals have not lost since Sept. 17 against the University of Mount Union, and the win over Hartwick places them in sole procession of first place in the Empire 8 conference. 
 
After the Cardinals and Hawks exchanged points to bring Fisher to a two-point lead at 8-6, Fisher pulled ahead on a 12-2 run, which featured four kills from Sydney French. French would go on to finish with 11 kills on the day, a new season high for the senior. The middle hitter has accomplished this feat only twice times in her career (10/22/2021 vs. Keuka and 10/1/2022 vs. Hartwick)
 
 The Cardinals capped the win with kills from Olivia Nellis and Lindsey Debonis. Debonis finished the contest with seven kills, good for a 0.333 hitting percentage. This marks the most kills Debonis has finished with in a game since Sept. 23 at Utica, when she finished with nine. 
 
Looking to rebound in the second set, Hartwick opened up a five-point lead at 19-14, the largest lead of the day for the Hawks. Following a Fisher timeout, the Cardinals responded by tying the score at 23-23, following consecutive clutch kills from Debonis and Delayne Young. Looking to ice the contest, Young and Nellis finished off the contest with back-to-back kills again, giving Fisher the second set win at 26-24.
The kills by Young were part of her 15 kills performance, a new season high. This marks just the second game where Young has 15+ kills, her other coming when she put down 17 kills 10/09/2021 against Misericordia.
 
Fisher wrapped up the win with a third set win, 25-13. As a team, Fisher hit 0.427, recording 46 kills in the win. In comparison, Hartwick had 24 kills and finished hitting 0.100. These two teams came into the game pacing the Empire 8 in hitting percentage, and the huge offensive performance helps Fisher take the Empire 8 lead in kills per set at 11.93, just ahead of Hartwick who sits at 11.58 kills per set. 
 
Continue to watch Katy Leaty, whose 42 assist day put her at 1472 in her career. Leaty rapidly approaches Bridget Martin '92, who ranks 9^th in program history with 1500 assists.  
The Cardinals will return to action Friday, Oct. 7 against Houghton College in another Empire 8 matchup at the Manning and Napier Gym. 
 
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