PITTSFORD, N.Y. – After defeating No. 2 Vassar College on Friday, the St. John Fisher College men's volleyball team was able to hold on and take down No. 11 New York University, 3-2, in a United Volleyball Conference matchup Saturday afternoon inside Manning & Napier Varsity Gymnasium. With its second-straight nationally-ranked victory, Fisher, which is receiving votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association national poll, improves to 14-4 on the season and 3-1 in the conference, while NYU moves to 7-7 overall and 3-2 in the UVC. 
 
Jake Baker led the way for the Cardinals with 19 kills followed by Josh Bigford with 14 and Matt Beiter with eight. Baker was also a threat at the service stripe as the junior outside hitter recorded four aces. Griffin Stella and Matt Cieplicki made their presence known at the net as the duo combined for seven blocks. Setter Paul Hackford helped on 47 kills, while Trace La Robardiere tallied seven digs.
 
Coming off the biggest win of the season, the Cardinals were faced with another tough matchup in No. 11 NYU. After falling behind 6-3 early in set one, Fisher produced a 6-3 run of their own behind several errors by the Violets and an ace from Hackford to tie the match at 9 all.
 
From there, head coach Stephen England's squad generated a 7-2 run following a pair of kills from Hackford and a service ace from Baker giving the home team a 16-11 edge.
 
As the set wore on, errors from both teams gave Fisher a four-point lead before a pair of kills from Bigford, and an ace from Hackford allowed the Cardinals to jump ahead 23-15. 
 
After a triple-block from Bigford, Cieplicki, and Stella, setter Hackford found Baker at the net for a kill to close out set one, 25-17, and take a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
After an early 3-1 lead in set two, the Cardinals found themselves down 5-3 after a 4-0 run from the Violets. The Cardinals were then able to produce a run of their own and jump back ahead 10-8 after back-to-back aces from Baker.
 
From there, errors on both ends gave Fisher a one-point lead late in set two. Leading 17-16, Bigford helped produce a 6-2 run after monster kill at the net as well as a block with Beiter.
 
Only needing two points for the set, the Violets would give one away on a service error allowing Fisher to take a 24-20 lead. Baker approached the service stripe and was able to put one on the court for a set-winning ace and allow the home team to take a commanding 2-0 match lead.
 
Opening up set three, the Violets pulled ahead 9-6 after an attacking error on Baker. The Cardinals then created a 6-1 run behind kills by Beiter and Bigford as well as one of Stella's four blocks.
 
Trailing 10-12, the Violets then started to pull away after an 8-3 run late in set three. Down 18-15, the Cardinals were able to claw their way back to a one-point game before NYU would close the set on a 4-1 run to take set three 25-21.
 
Now trailing 2-1 in the match, the Violets kept the momentum and quickly jumped ahead 7-3 in set four. After three kills by Baker put the Cardinals to within one, the Violets once again found a run to lead 17-13. 
 
Four service errors by the Cardinals allowed NYU to strengthen its lead to six as the road team now only needed two points to take the match to five sets. After another service error by the Cardinals, NYU closed out the set 25-19, pushing the match to set five.
 
With set five underway, the Cardinals were able to gain an early lead behind kills from Beiter, Baker, and Bigford. Fisher continued to struggle from the service line as three errors brought the Violets back into the game to trail 6-5.
 
Later on, a fourth service error in the set by the Cardinals allowed NYU to tie the match up 9-9 with both teams needing just six points to claim victory. 
 
With their back to the wall, the Cardinals were able to dig an attack from the Violets, giving Hackford the chance to find Bigford for the kill. 
 
With the crowd behind the home team, Fisher was able to produce a 5-2 run after a pair of kills by Baker and one by Beiter.
 
Only needing two points to take the match, the Cardinals defense forced an NYU attacking error, to give Fisher a match-winning opportunity. 
 
Trying to battle back, NYU lined up an attack, but it was dig up by the Cardinals. Hackford then found Baker for his 19th kill of the match to win set five 15-11, and defeat No. 11 NYU, 3-2.
 
As a team, the Cardinals hit .294 with 55 kills, eight aces, eight blocks, and 27 digs.
 
After back-to-back nationally-ranked wins, the Cardinals will travel to the west-coast to participate in the Cal-lu-fornia Classic on March 11th and 12^th.  The first match will be against California Lutheran University at 3 p.m. in Thousand Oaks, California, followed by Marymount College at 7 p.m.