Volleyball Rallies for a Five-Set Victory at Loyola

Down 8-5 in the fifth set, Canisius scored eight straight points and hung on for a five-set victory at Loyola on Saturday. The Golden Griffins won 25-21, 17-25, 15-25, 25-22, 15-13, and Canisius is now 7-10 overall and 4-3 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Junior Renee Lettow led Canisius with 15 kills in the match to go along with eight digs. Freshman Samantha Good had 13 kills and five blocks while Michelle Godfrey and Danielle Brawn each had eight kills. Sophomore Janelle Davis had 40 assists and nine digs while freshman Allyson Severyn led the Griffs with 20 digs.

"Today was a great team effort against a solid, top team in our conference," Canisius coach Cathy Hummel said. "We need to play with that type of perseverance in all of our conference matches, not just against a top team in its home gym."

Loyola won the opening three points of the fifth set before Canisius responded by winning the next three points, tying the score on back-to-back aces from Lettow. Loyola built an 8-5 before Canisius rattled off the eight straight points, which included two service aces from Brawn. The Griffs went up 14-10 on a kill from Lettow before Loyola cut the lead to 14-12, but a Greyhounds service error ended the match.

Canisius broke open the first set early, scoring four straight points, which included two kills from Godfrey with the score tied at 5-5 to open up a 9-5 lead. Loyola cut the lead to three points on two separate occasions, but the Griffs never let the Greyhounds get any closer.

Loyola (9-12, 4-2 MAAC) controlled the second and third sets, opening up a lead early in each set. The Greyhounds scored the opening four points in the second set and never looked back. In the third set, the Greyhounds turned a 4-1 deficit into a 10-5 by winning nine of 10 points.

The Griffs forced a fifth and decisive set by holding on for a fourth set victory. Two kills from Layne Adams and a service ace from Severyn but Canisius up 16-10. Loyola cut the Canisius lead to three on 19-16, but the Griffs responded with a 5-2 run that had two kills from Lettow. The Greyhounds made a late run to make it 24-22, but another kill from Lettow closed out the set.

Canisius wraps up the road trip at Rider on Sunday, with match time set for 2 p.m.

Match Notes: Canisius won for the first time in three years at Loyola... Canisius played in a five-set match for the third time this season and for the first time in a MAAC match. The Griffs are now 2-1 in five-set matches during the 2009 season... Canisius is now 10-4 in its last 14 five-set matches... Canisius improves to 3-0 in MAAC road matches, equaling the 1991 team for the best road start in conference matches in program history.

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Players Mentioned

#13 Layne Adams: MH; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#7 Danielle Brawn: OH/RS; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#5 Janelle Davis: S; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#9 Michelle Godfrey: MH/RS; 6' 3"; Senior

#16 Samantha Good: MH/RS; 5' 10"; Freshman

#2 Renee Lettow: OH; 5' 10"; Junior

#18 Allyson Severyn: L; 5' 5"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#13 Layne Adams
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: MH

#7 Danielle Brawn
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: OH/RS

#5 Janelle Davis
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: S

#9 Michelle Godfrey
: 6' 3"; Senior
: MH/RS

#16 Samantha Good
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: MH/RS

#2 Renee Lettow
: 5' 10"; Junior
: OH

#18 Allyson Severyn
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: L