PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Seeking their fourth consecutive Empire 8 championship, the top-seeded St. John Fisher Cardinals defeated the fourth-seeded Houghton Highlanders on Friday night, 3-0, to advance to the conference championship game tomorrow.
 
In the opening set the Cardinals jumped out to an early 7-1 lead and capitalized on multiple runs, coupled with eight Houghton attack errors, winning, 25-15.
 
Houghton played their best set in the second, racking up 15 kills and only committing two attack errors, but the Cardinals answered in kind with 16 kills and only three attack errors.  While the Highlanders stayed within striking distance throughout, the Cardinals pulled out another win, 25-22.
 
Fisher stayed hot in the final set, picking up 14 kills on a .370 attack percentage, pulling away midway through the set and never looking back to pick their third game in a row, 25-15.
 
The Cardinals will play the winner of Hartwick vs. Utica on Saturday in Rochester.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: #4 Houghton – 0| #1 St. John Fisher – 3
Records: #4 Houghton:  10-14 | #1 St. John Fisher: 20-7
Scores: 15-25, 22-25, 15-25
Venue: Bobby Wanzer Court, St. John Fisher College | Attendance: 0

NOTABLE STATS
>> Haley Unverdorben finished the night with 18 assists, giving her 650 on the season—the second-highest single season total of her career—and 2,827 for her career.  She finished a stellar career ranked fourth on the all-time Highlander leader board for assists.  A second-team All-E8 selection, Unverdorben finished second in the conference in assists per set (8.23).
 
>> Rebekah Clark once again led the Houghton defense with 12 digs, the only Highlander to reach double-digits.  She finished the season with 329 digs, and 649 for her career.  Clark ranked third in the conference in digs per set (4.16).
 
>> Emma Cole and Julie Immel collected seven kills apiece, and Cole posted a .500 attack percentage, committing only one attack error.
 
>> Ella Smith recorded five kills and two service aces.  She led the Empire 8 in aces per set this season (.70).
 
COACH'S CORNER
"It's never easy for a season to come to a close. I will take this opportunity to thank the team for battling together, every play of every day in this season. There is no quit in this group of women. They have attacked fearlessly, pursued relentlessly, and have remained committed to doing all things with excellence for the glory of God.  Houghton Volleyball - you make us all proud." – Interim Head Coach Judy Fox