DUDLEY, Mass. – In a night honoring the team's seniors, the Nichols women's volleyball team earned a 3-0 sweep over Russell Sage on Tuesday night at the Nichols Athletic Center to advance to an overall record of 15-8 on the season. The Bison were victorious by set scores of 25-19, 27-25, 25-22.
 
Tonight's meetup between the Bison and the Gators was the second of the season, with Nichols earning a five-set victory over Russell Sage on September 16th in Albany.
 
A Kya Burdier service ace gave Nichols a 7-0 cushion to start the opening set. Jayleen Fegan recorded her first kill of the match, the 586th of her career, at 10-6, to secure her spot at the top of the Bison record books. The Gators battled back to within two at 20-18, but a strong surge of offense for the Bison helped close out the set for the home side.
 
Nichols bounced out to a 14-9 lead in the first set with a kill from Melina Bezati helping the Bison regain a five-point advantage. Russell Sage would battle back to take its first lead of the set at 24-23, but with their backs against the wall, the Bison stayed tough for a 27-25 set win, taking a 2-0 match lead.
 
A Fegan service ace gave Nichols a healthy 16-5 lead in the middle of the third set. Despite a late resurgence by the Gators, Nichols never gave up the lead late to cap off the sweep.
 
The Bison recorded double-digit aces with 11, with Jenna Savoie tacking on five of her own.  Burdier, the reigning Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Rookie of the Week, dished out 31 assists in the win. Luna Colozzo and Fegan each finished with nine and eight kills, respectively, in the triumph.
 
Nichols will return to CCC play for its final two matches, with Wentworth as the immediate focus, as the Leopards come to Dudley in a quick turnaround for the Bison on Wednesday, October 26. First serve is set for 7 p.m.