Women's Volleyball | 11/16/2024 6:05:00 PM
PITTSFORD, NY – The St. John Fisher University women's volleyball team swept crosstown rival Nazareth University in the 2024 Empire 8 Championship match on Saturday afternoon at Kidera Gymnasium to secure the conference's automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship.
The No. 2-seeded Cardinals (21-8) improved to 4-0 in Empire 8 title matches against top-seeded Nazareth (17-14) and won their fifth overall conference title. They will learn their first-round opponent and host site on Monday for the program's fourth-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Match Notes
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The Cardinals won the first set 25-23, the second set 25-16 and the third 25-20.
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Saturday's contest marked the Cardinals' first-ever Empire 8 championship match on the road. They had won all four of their conference titles on their home floor.
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The Cardinals avenged their 3-1 loss to Nazareth on Oct. 23. The Golden Flyers were one of two Empire 8 teams (Brockport being the other) to beat the Cardinals during the regular season.
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The Cardinals have won nine matches in a row since that loss.
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Cardinals head coach Kelly Greapentrog has led the program to all five of its Empire 8 titles and all four of its NCAA Tournament appearances.
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Grepentrog has led the Cardinals to 20 or more wins in a season seven times since 2009.
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Sophomore outside hitter Kaylene Noble led the Cardinals with 14 kills and hit .346 in the match.
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Empire 8 Rookie of the Year Lydia Fraser amassed 12 kills and hit .360.
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Sophomore middle blocker Ana Gutman registered a team-high .450 hitting percentage. She had 11 kills.
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Gutman, a first-team All-Empire 8 selection, has hit .400 or better in 15 of Fisher's 29 matches this season. She leads the Empire 8 in hitting percentage (.395).
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Gutman also had four blocks. She leads the Cardinals with 57 on the season.
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The Cardinals had 42 kills to Nazareth's 27. They hit .299 as a team.
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Junior setter Reilly Morrow had a match-high 28 assists.
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Noble had eight digs, while Morrow and junior libero Kiera Hartpence had seven apiece.
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Junior Isabella Mahar led Fisher with two service aces.
Up Next
The Cardinals will watch the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Selection Show as a team at 1 p.m. on Monday.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com.
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