AMHERST, N.Y. - The Canisius College volleyball team picked up its first win of the 2012 season with a four-set win over San Jose State University in its final match of the UB Invitational at Alumni Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Griffins won 25-23, 25-20, 12-25 and 25-22 over the Spartans.

Junior Roxanne Hernandez had a career-high 13 kills and a .455 attack percentage to go along with six blocks. Junior Jessica Warner posted her first career double-double with 12 kills and a career-high 13 digs. Senior Allyson Severyn added 23 digs while junior Sydney Palka had 32 assists.

"We aren't a team that plays well when we don't show emotion. I thought from the start of today's match that we had good energy and enthusiasm," Canisius coach Cathy Hummel said. "We saw good, consistent competition this weekend, and it would have been easy for our team to fold. We came back today, regrouped and defeated a talented team from the West Coast."

Canisius slowly built a lead throughout the first set, going up 14-10 after a San Jose State service error, but the Spartans came back with four straight points to tie the score. Canisius would reclaim the lead on a kill from Hernandez and eventually built a 20-16 lead after a tip kill from senior Samantha Good. The Spartans responded with four straight points to tie the score at 20-20. After a lengthy rally, the Griffs would earn the first set point on a kill from Good. Canisius, which never trailed in the opening set, took the first set on a San Jose State ball-handling error.

The teams stayed close for the majority of the second set, with Canisius taking a 15-13 lead after a kill from Hernandez. San Jose State then scored three straight points to take a 16-15 lead. Neither team would hold more than a one-point lead until Canisius scored the final six points of the set, including two kills and two service aces from Warner, to go up 2-0 in the match.

After San Jose State easily won the third set, the teams played a tight fourth set. Canisius would take a 19-17 lead after a kill from Hernandez and a service ace from Severyn. The Spartans tied the match at 19-19, but Canisius took a 22-20 lead after a kill on the slide from Good and a kill from senior Logan Sulongga. After a San Jose State error pushed the Canisius advantage to 23-20, the Spartans scored consecutive points to make it a one-point game. Junior Emily Elek put down a kill to give Canisius two match points. On the first match point, a block from Sulongga and Hernandez gave Canisius the match.  

Samantha O'Connell led San Jose State with 14 kills to go along with 10 digs. Hanah Blue had 15 kills and 16 digs. Michaela Leonard had 47 assists and 12 digs.

Canisius returns to the court for four matches next weekend at the Charleston Southern Invitational. The Golden Griffins begin play against the host Buccaneers at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.

Notes: Hernandez, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, hit .462 on the weekend, averaging 2.64 kills per set. The junior also averaged 1.27 blocks per set...Canisius and San Jose State met for the first time in program history... The second set featured 13 ties and six lead changes while the fourth set had 13 ties and five lead changes... Elek matched her career high with five blocks...  Canisius averaged 2.73 blocks per set as a team in the three matches, recording at least nine blocks in each match. Canisius didn't have nine blocks in three straight matches during all of the 2011 season and only did it in back-to-back matches once last year... The 12 kills from Warner matched her career high.