FREDONIA, N.Y. - SUNY Geneseo first-year outside hitter Grace Cergol compiled a match-high 16 kills to go along with 14 digs to lead the fifth-seeded Knights past fourth-seeded Fredonia, 3-0 (25-22, 25-13, 25-22) in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Women's Volleyball Tournament Quarterfinals, Tuesday. 

With the victory, Geneseo (17-14) advances to the semifinals on Friday (Nov. 4) to take on top-seeded and host Brockport at 7:00 p.m.

Geneseo jumped out to a quick 7-1 lead in the first set on the serve of senior outside hitter Tricia Baxley and extended its lead, 15-7, before Fredonia responded with a 6-1 spurt to pull within three, 16-13. Clinging to a 22-21 edge, the Knights closed out the set scoring three of the final four points (all Baxley kills) to close the set.

In the second set, Geneseo broke a 7-7 tie with a decisive 12-3 run capped by six-consecutive points on the serve of first-year libero Sam Mendelsohn, to take a 19-10 lead it would not relinquish.

A back-and-forth third set saw the Knights build an early 11-5 lead before the Blue Devils scored seven-unanswered points to take a 12-11 edge. Geneseo responded with a 7-3 run to take a 18-15 edge, but it was Fredonia bouncing back to knot the set, 21-21. The Knights sealed the victory notching four of the final five points to punch their ticket to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2010. 

Mendelshon finished the night with a match-high 17 digs, while the Knights' defense limited Fredonia to a .076 attack percentage on the evening.