ELMIRA, NY – A day after a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Elmira, the Hartwick volleyball team responded with a pair of victories at the Empire 8 Crossover at EC's Speidel Gymnasium.

The Hawks' 3-1 (25-19, 27-25, 21-25, 25-14) victory over St. John Fisher in the day's opener marks the first over the Cardinals in the history of Hartwick volleyball. It also avenges last season's 3-2 defeat. 'Wick entered the match 0-17 against Fisher since 1995. The Hawks downed Alfred in their second and final match of the day to improve to 3-3 in league play.

The Hawks jumped out to a two games to zero lead following a win in the first game 25-19 and outlasting the Cardinals 27-25 in game two. Fisher climbed back into the match taking the third game 25-21 but Hartwick shut the door on any comeback, 25-14, in game four to take the match.

Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) and Hannah Strom (Kenmore, WA/Inglemoor) each hit over .300 on the day for Hartwick. Vonasek had nine kills on 19 attacks for a percentage of .368. She would also contribute five blocks. Strom hit .300 with 12 kills on 30 attacks. She would also add 10 digs.

Dana Martin (Chester, NY/Burke Catholic) recorded nine kills and eight digs in the match. Katie Ryan (Circleville, NY/Pine Bush) and Hannah Armstrong (Lansing, NY/Lansing) each had five kills. Armstrong also recorded 10 assists and six digs.

Christina Vitale (Port Jefferson Station, NY/St. John the Baptist) had a team-best 12 digs and Quincy Kinzel (Scotia, NY/Guilderland) added the team-high in assists with 22.

Against Alfred, the two teams split the first two games for a one-all deadlock. The Hawk took game one, 25-18, before the Saxons evened the contest, 25-20, in the second. A tough third game resulted in Hartwick edging AU 25-21, and the Hawks left no doubt in the fourth, 25-14, to complete the sweep.

Strom and Martin each tied for a team-best 11 kills. Strom completed her second straight double-double with 10 digs. Martin would add eight.

Armstrong and Kinzel each missed triple-doubles by narrow margins. Armstrong fell just one kill short of the feat with 22 assists, 10 digs, and nine kills. Kinzel was just three kills short as she notched a team-high 25 assists, 11 digs and seven kills.

Vonasek would hit over .300 once again with nine kills on 21 attacks and just two errors. Ryan added six kills and Vitale would accumulate nine digs.

With one conference game remaining on their schedule, the Hawks remain alive for one of four Empire 8 Tournament bids with a 3-3 mark. Hartwick will need to defeat Stevens on October 12 in a match played at Houghton College. The Ducks are 6-0 in the E8 and in first place.