PITTSFORD, NY – The St. John Fisher University women's volleyball team looked to improve their conference record with a matchup against Nazareth College Wednesday night. The Cardinals entered play with an 11-5 overall record and a 6-0 record in the Empire 8 conference. Nazareth, who entered the night sitting in third place in the conference looked to improve their record from 7-12 overall and 4-2 in the conference.

The Golden Flyers took an early 13-8 lead in their first set, but an ace from Emily Brochey and kills from Delayne Young and Sydney French brought the Fisher deficit to 16-15. Following a timeout from Nazareth, crucial defensive blunders propelled Fisher to an 8-3 run to take a 23-19 lead late in the first set. Olivia Nellis put the first set away with a kill.  

The Cardinals got out to a strong offensive attack in the second set that featured three kills from Nellis and two from Lindsey Debonis and Kristen McIntosh. Up 18-11, Nazareth was forced to take a timeout. While up 19-13, Fisher would finish the set with a 6-1 run to overpower Nazareth in set two by a score of 25-14. Fisher was dominant in the third set, overwhelming Nazareth 25-7, hitting 0.500 with 13 kills and one error on 24 attempts.

With the win, Fisher has taken 7-straight against the rival Golden Flyers. The 18+ point differential in the third set is the largest margin of victory in that span and the largest for the Cardinals this season.

French and Young finished the night with seven kills each, and Debonis added 6 of her own. Kiana Walker, this week's player to watch, tallied four aces from the service line, a season high for the graduate student. Walker also added 12 digs in the win.

By besting Nazareth, Fisher pads their lead in the conference and improves to 7-0 this season in conference games. The Cardinals has not lost a conference matchup since 2018.

The rest of the regular season will be played on the road, as Fisher will begin a nine game away stretch with a matchup at RIT on Friday, Oct. 14 before facing Clark University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Saturday, Oct. 15.
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