GENEVA, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher University women's volleyball team were on the road on Saturday and competing in day two of the Heron Invitational hosted by William Smith College. The Cardinals played against SUNY Cortland and wrapped up the weekend with a match against the host Herons.
 
The battled against the Red Dragons ended with a 3-0 defeat. The Cardinals held a 9-7 lead briefly and trailed 16-15 before Cortland used a 9-1 run to take the first frame. The third set began with neither team giving an inch. There were nine lead changes before it looked like the Red Dragons took control with a 19-16 lead. Fisher was not giving up, kills by Emma Lawler and Kaylene Noble brought the team to within one before three straight attacking errors gave them the lead. Fisher were ahead 24-20, but the opposition mounted a comeback that gave them a 29-27 victory. The final frame was a similar start to the first two, with both teams trading points. Towards the end of the set, Cortland were up 23-15 and the Cardinals fought back to within two, but the Red Dragons secured the set and the match.
 
In the second match, the Cardinals went on to win 3-1. In the first set, Fisher jumped out to a 14-10 lead, but the Herons scored nine unanswered points to go ahead by five. However the Cardinals did not give in, but instead took advantage of four errors and a Delayne Young kill to even the score at 20-20. Down the stretch the team went on a 5-2 run to secure the win. In the second frame it was the Herons that jumped out to the lead, and the Cardinals were able to get eight straight points to reclaim the advantage. Later in the frame, an 11-1 run put Fisher in front 24-12 and a service error put the team in front 2-0. Despite losing the third set, the Cardinals were not worried, they quickly took an 8-1 lead in the fourth to set the tone. They answered every William Smith run with a run of their own and the Cardinals defeated the Herons 25-18 to claim the set and the match.
 
Kaylene Noble and Kiera Hartpence were both named to the All-Tournament Team. Noble had an incredible string of offensive performances, recording 46 kills on a percentage of .268. In addition, she tallied 29 digs, four service aces and seven total blocks. Hartpence showed her versatility on the back line, recording 22 assists, four service aces and 50 digs.
 
The Cardinals will shift their focus to conference competition, taking on Alfred University on Friday, Sept 29 at 6p.m.
 
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