LAST TIME OUT
• The Canisius women's lacrosse program outscored the Marist Red Foxes 10-5 in the second half en-route to a 13-11 MAAC semifinal victory in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Thursday night. 
• The Red Foxes appeared to be in control through the first half, taking a 6-3 lead into the intermission, forcing 13 Canisius turnovers and smothering the Blue and Gold attack.
• However, the Griffs' offense came alive in the second frame, as three-straight goals from the 23 minute mark on, helped knot the contest up at 8-8. 
• Marist retook the lead a possession later, but again the Griffs responded, as junior Jourdan Roemer and sophomore Bryar Cummings recorded back-to-back goals to put Canisius up 10-9 with 14:57 left in the game.
• With the game tied at 11-11 with 5:20 left in regulation time, Cummings notched her fourth of the contest to give the Griffs a lead they never relinquished. Senior Jen Reininger added an insurance marker with 3:26 left to help secure the victory.
• Cummings had a career-high five points (four goals and one assist), while senior Allie Stewart notched four goals.  
• Roemer also added a pair of goals and a pair of assists, while freshmen Miranda Malvaso and Marissa Malvaso each tallied a goal in the winning effort.
• Reininger finished the game with a goal and an assist, while collecting four ground balls, four draw controls and four caused turnovers.
• Canisius struggled holding onto the ball in the first half, committing 13 turnovers, however the Blue and Gold cleaned its play up in the second frame, and turned the ball over just three times in the game's closing 30 minutes.
•  Meanwhile, Canisius turned up the defensive pressure on Marist, forcing the host Red Foxes into seven second-half turnovers.
• Senior goalkeeper Rebecca VanLaeken made six saves between the pipes for the Griffs to earn the victory, while Marist's Delaney Galvin was credited with 10 stops in the losing effort. 

SCOUTING CANISIUS
• The Golden Griffins continue their title defense on Saturday, as the team faces No. 3 seeded Fairfield, for the 2018 MAAC crown! 
• Canisius and the MAAC has been led offensively by Jourdan Roemer, who comes into the contest with 82 points (49 goals and 33 assists). 
• Not far behind is Jen Reininger who has tallied 53 goals and 10 assists for 63 points. 
• The Blue and Gold has also received goal scoring from Allie Stewart (31 goals) and three assists), Lauren Smolenksy (11 goals and 18 assists) and Bryar Cummings (25 goals and five assists) 
• Marissa Malvaso and Miranda Malvaso have continued to get stronger with each game, as the freshmen have been strong complimentary pieces in their first year.
• Marissa Malvaso has tallied 13 goals and three assists, while Miranda Malvaso has tallied six goals. 
• Rachel Ryan has also posted career-best offensive numbers, having totaled 10 goals this season. 
• Reininger, aside from goal scoring, has been all over the stat sheet, leading the team in ground balls with 63, draw controls with 107 and caused turnovers with 31.
• Reininger is ranked 26th nationally with 5.63 draw controls per game, and ranked 11th in the nation in ground balls per contest with a mark of 3.32.
• Rebecca VanLaeken has been one of the nation's best goaltenders, ranking fourth in the nation in saves per game with an 11.53 mark. 
• She is also ranked first in the NCAA in total saves, setting a new Canisius program single season record, with 219
• VanLaeken comes into the game with a 11.55 goals against average and a .503 save percentage. 

KEEPING UP WITH TRADITION
• The Blue and Gold qualified for its 11th-straight semifinal game on Thursday and with its win, its ninth ever appearance in the championship round. 
• Canisius has been dominant in the tournament as well. Dating back to its first championship season in 2011 Canisius is 15-1 in MAAC tournament games 

JOINING AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB
• Canisius did something that only two teams had ever done previously in the MAAC tournament, defeating the No. 1 seeded Marist Red Foxes, as a No. 4 seed.
• You'd have to go all the way back to 2003 to find the last time it was accomplished as Le Moyne defeated Fairfield.
• Ironically enough, Marist was a part of the first-ever instance of a four seed defeating a one seed, losing to Niagara in 2000.

SERIES HISTORY VS. FAIRFIELD 
• Saturday will be the 28th meeting all-time between the Griffs and Stags, with Fairfield holding a 15-12 edge over the Blue and Gold. 
• Surprisingly the Stags have a decided edge when playing at the Demske Sports Complex, boasting a 8-2 mark in Buffalo, while the Griffs have gone 4-6 in Fairfield Conn., during the regular season.
• Where Canisius has really excelled is when it matters most, as the team is 6-1 against Fairfield in the MAAC tournament. 

REININGER AND ROEMER HIGHLIGHT ALL-MAAC AWARDS
• Canisius was well represented during the MAAC awards banquet but Jen Reininger and Jourdan Roemer highlighted the night, winning conference midfielder of the year and offensive player of the year, respectively.
• Along with those awards the Griffs offensive duo, were named to the All-MAAC First Team.
• Joining Roemer and Reininger was Rebecca VanLaeken who earned All-MAAC Second Team accolades and Marissa Malvaso, who garnered All-Rookie team honors. 
• Reininger and Roemer's honors are the fifth time in program history that the Blue and Gold earned offensive player of year and midfielder of the year in the same season.
• From 2012 to 2015 Canisius reeled off four-straight years of earning those two awards. 

BRYAR CUMMINGS SHINES IN POSTSEASON
• As Canisius entered its semifinal match up, the question was going to be who would step up when the team needed it most.
• On Thursday that question was answered and Bryar Cummings stepped to the forefront. 
• Cummings paced the Griffs offense with five points (four goals and one assist), recording her first ever hat trick and setting a new career-high in points.
• This season has been a revelation for Cummings who has set career-bests in a number of offensive categories after scoring just three times during her freshman campaign.
• She has become an emerging offensive threat for the Blue and Gold at the most critical time of the year.