PITTSFORD, NY – The No. 8 St. John Fisher University men's volleyball team (19-6, 2-3 UVC) dropped a pivotal matchup against the No. 11 New Paltz Hawks (18-8, 3-1 UVC) Saturday afternoon, in a game that has extreme conference implications for both institutions. 

The Cardinals steadily opened a three point advantage in the first set, up 12-9, using kills from Gabe La Robardiere, Josh Bigford, and Griffin Stella. The Cardinals were able to hold off the Hawks for most of the set before New Paltz would be forced to take their first timeout of the set, 20-17. The teams would exchange the next six points, backed by kills from Jake Baker and Stella to force another New Paltz timeout. Now with the score 24-21, Fisher would ice the set behind a kill from Bigford on the assist from Trace La Robardiere.

Looking to sustain the momentum into the second, Fisher initially took a 6-4 edge, before New Paltz would rally four straight to take their first lead of the day at 8-6. Using timely kills from Bigford and Baker, as well as an ace from Evan Ingerick, the Cardinals went up 11-10. The set would remain close, but two consecutive Hawks errors would move the Fisher lead to two, up 17-15. Out of a New Paltz timeout, the lead would evaporate as the Hawks tied the contest at 24-24. Following a New Paltz ace, Fisher would take a timeout as the score shifted to Fisher down one, 25-24. Using another kill from Bigford, already his eighth of the day, the Cardinals would take the second set 27-25.

The Cardinals hit 0.448% in the second set, using 14 kills to just one error across 29 attempts. The Cardinals scored six points off of service errors, compared to five Cardinal service errors in the second.

After sustaining a 15-12 lead to open the third set, Fisher was unable to put away New Paltz after a 8-3 run for the Hawks moved the score to 20-18. New Paltz continued the run after a Fisher timeout, finishing the third with a 25-20 victory to stay alive.

Moving into the fourth, New Paltz relied on Cardinal errors to swing the momentum, forcing head coach Matt Cohen to burn through a timeout down 10-9. The Hawks offense would overwhelm Fisher in the fourth, finishing the set victory 25-14.

With a renewed energy, the Cardinals started strong in set five, finding a two point separation to go up 7-5. From there, New Paltz would rattle off three straight to take the 8-7 lead as the teams switched sides. New Paltz would take set point up 14-12, but consecutive kills from Baker, Bigford, and Gavin Newman put the Hawks on the ropes, 15-14. New Paltz would be relentless in their search for the win, rattling off four of the next five points to down the Cardinals in five, in reverse sweep fashion on the road.

Bigford led the way for Fisher, putting down 12 kills across 45 attempts with just two errors. In support, Stella ended the contest with eight kills and just one error over 18 attempts, hitting 0.389%. Stella added 7.0 blocks and two digs in the loss.

Fisher out blocked New Paltz, ending with 13.0 total blocks against 10.0 from the Hawks. The Cardinals were outhit, 0.248% (66 kills, 29 errors, 149 attempts) against 0.135% (44 kills, 24 errors, 148 attempts). The Cardinals had two aces in the loss, compared to 21 service errors. New Paltz also had two aces with 25 service errors.

The Cardinals will travel down the street next Friday, March 31, in a 7 p.m. UVC matchup at the No. 14 Nazareth College Golden Flyers. The Cardinals bested the Golden Flyers earlier this season, using a reverse sweep to get the job done at home.

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