GAME RECAP
Despite showing a great deal of fight against the MAAC's first-place team, the Canisius volleyball program fell to Fairfield, 3-0 (25-18, 25-20, 27-25), at the Koessler Athletic Center, Saturday. With the loss the Golden Griffins dropped to 4-11 overall and 2-3 in conference, while Fairfield improved to 10-6 overall and a perfect 5-0 in MAAC play.
 
After dropping the first frame 25-18, the Blue and Gold rebounded in the second set, opening the stanza on an 8-2 run, and forcing Fairfield to use both timeouts early on. However the Stags reeled off a 12-6 run to knot it up 14-14.
 
With the second set tied 15-15, Fairfield finished the stanza on a 10-5 run to go up, 2-0 in the match.
 
In the third set, Canisius appeared to poised for the victory, reeling off five-straight points to stake claim to a 24-23 lead. However the Stags once again fended off defeat, scoring four of the final five points to take the third frame, 27-25, and the match, 3-0.
 
Claire Leonard led all participants with 13 kills and just five errors for a .258 hitting percentage. Leah Simmons also proved to be an offensive producer, tallying seven kills and just one error for a .462 hitting percentage and she notched five blocks for the Blue and Gold.
 
For Fairfield Mayda Garcia led the Stags in kills with 12, while Kaitlyn Fisher chipped in nine.
 
Sofia Lopez Acosta was once again the Griffs digs leader as she tallied 10, while Cassidy Ceriani quarterbacked the offense, tallying 30 assists.
 
THOUGHTS FROM COACH VAZQUEZ
"We were focused on getting more blocks today, so it was nice to see us out-block them," head coach Lenika Vazquez.  "but they did out-defended us in the back row, which kept them in rallies longer and gave them the ability to run their middles and finish more balls."
 
"We need to solidify the finish by continuously understanding our ability to finish and follow through and execute. Our focus will be the execution of the finish."

GAME NOTES
• With the loss Canisius drops to 15-31 in the all-time series against the Stags.
• Canisius is now 4-7 in the last 11 contests against Fairfield.
• Leah Simmons tied her season-high in blocks with five, having achieved that feat against Saint Peter's on Sept. 17.
• Claire Leonard tallied her eighth double-figure kill game against Fairfield.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius finishes off its homestand against Quinnipiac on Sunday, taking on the Bobcats at 1 p.m. Next weekend the Griffs head back out on the road to face Iona and Manhattan on Oct. 7 and 8. Match times are set for 1 p.m.