BEREA, Ohio – In one of the top Division III games so far this season, the No. 11 St. John Fisher University men's volleyball team outlasted No. 13 California Santa Cruz in five sets on Sunday afternoon in the Baldwin Wallace Invite.
The Cardinals, 8-1 overall, capped the weekend with a 3-0 loss to Baldwin Wallace in the event's final match.
Match 1: St. John Fisher 3, Baldwin Wallace 2
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The Cardinals won the first set 25-19 before dropping the second and third sets 25-17 and 25-20. They forced a fifth set with a 25-20 victory in the fourth and secured the match with a 17-15 win in the extra frame.
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There were 13 ties and six lead changes in the final set.
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Graduate senior Jake Baker tallied 15 kills to reach 1,000 for his career. He logged a .250 hitting percentage in the match.
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Graduate senior Griffin Stella had 11 kills, and senior Ian Rauh had 10. Stella led the Cardinals with a .458 hitting percentage and amassed a team-high four blocks.
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Gavin Newman tallied 46 assists in the match. He has had 40 or more in three matches this season.
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Newman also led the Cardinals with 16 digs, a season-high.
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Rauh led Fisher with four service aces.
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The Cardinals improved to 6-2 all-time against Santa Cruz and won their second straight match in the series.
Match 2: Baldwin Wallace 3, St. John Fisher 0
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Baldwin Wallace (5-1) won the first set 25-18, the second 25-20 and the third 25-10, dealing the Cardinals their first loss of the season.
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Junior Gabe La Robardiere led the Cardinals with seven kills. Freshman Coleton Welter had six.
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Stella tallied two more blocks to lead the Cardinals in the match.
Up Next
The Cardinals face Marymount at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, at Manning and Napier Varsity Gym.
