Volleyball Returns Home for Battle of the Bridge with Niagara

MATCH #26
Niagara (10-13, 9-4 MAAC) at Canisius (12-13, 9-4 MAAC)
Date: Thursday, Nov. 7
Time: 6 p.m.
Live Stats: SIDEARM Stats
Live Video: ESPN3

Location: Koessler Athletic Center (Buffalo, N.Y.)

The Canisius volleyball team and longtime rival Niagara are set to open up the Golden Griffins' five-match homestand on Thursday with the second meeting in the "Battle of the Bridge" this season. Entering the contest tied for third in the MAAC standings at 9-4, the Griffs and Purple Eagles are both set to start a stretch of three matches in four days as the conference season enters its final two weeks.

Scouting Canisius
• The Blue and Gold are coming off a weekend split in New Jersey, as the Griffs lost to Rider on Saturday, 3-1, in a match that saw the first two sets go to extra points. Canisius then earned the win over Saint Peter's on Sunday, taking three-straight sets after dropping the opening frame.
• Hannah Nelson was the focal point of the offense in the win at Saint Peter's with 18 kills and 19 digs, ending the two-match road trip by racking up 27 kills and 35 digs overall.
• Fellow sophomore Camila Vazquez put together a pair of 10-kill performances over the weekend, notching a .390 hitting percentage across the two contests while posting 11 total blocks. Senior Leah Simmons was not to be outdone, tallying 21 kills and 10 blocks on the weekend, as Simmons now sits 33 kills shy of 1,000 in her career.
• Senior Cassidy Ceriani and sophomore Ashley Kekeisen have both seen time at setter lately, as Ceriani totaled two more double-doubles over the weekend while Kekeisen registered career highs with 27 assists and six kills in the victory over the Peacocks.
• The Griffs' upcoming five-match homestand will be the longest to end the regular season in the last 20 years. Canisius has also not ended the regular season at home since 2015.

Scouting Niagara
• Niagara also split its weekend in the Garden State, as the Purple Eagles took three of four sets from Saint Peter's before being swept by Rider to close out the road trip.
• Caroline Leitch had back-to-back 15-kill matches for Niagara, also tallying 26 digs and six blocks in addition to her 30 kills over the weekend. The senior sits second on the squad with 212 kills and 10th in the MAAC with 2.72 kills per set.
• Leading the Purple Eagles with 225 kills on the season, Jaycie Roberts now ranks eighth in the conference with 2.78 kills per set. Roberts also paces the team with 333 digs (4.12 per set).
• Emillie Wright is right behind Roberts with 300 digs in 2019, while Jessica Streuer has recorded 669 assists as the primary setter for the team from Monteagle Ridge.
• Ranking sixth in the conference with 0.94 blocks per set, Cameron Maris paces the squad at 40 block assists while also putting up 10 solo blocks.

Series History
• Entering Thursday, the all-time series between the longtime rivals sits at 52-48-2 in the Griffs' favor through 102 meetings.
• The two schools have split their last 10 meetings, with Canisius having won the last four meetings against Niagara.
• In the first meeting this year on Sept. 24, senior Leah Simmons led the Griffs to a four-set victory over the Purple Eagles with a match-high 17 kills, as Ceriani and Nelson both recorded double-doubles in the winning effort.

Up Next
The Golden Griffins continue their season-ending five-match homestand with Siena and Marist this weekend in a pair of 1 p.m. contests. The Saints come to town on Saturday, with the Red Foxes visiting the Koessler Athletic Center the following day.

Follow the Griffs
For complete coverage of Canisius volleyball, please follow the Griffs on social media at @GriffVolleyball (Instagram) and @GriffVolleyball (Twitter).

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Players Mentioned

#3 Cassidy Ceriani: S; 5' 11"; Senior

#6 Ashley Kekeisen: S; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#14 Hannah Nelson: OH; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#13 Leah Simmons: MH; 6' 1"; Senior

#8 Camila Vazquez: MH; 6' 2"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#3 Cassidy Ceriani
: 5' 11"; Senior
: S

#6 Ashley Kekeisen
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: S

#14 Hannah Nelson
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: OH

#13 Leah Simmons
: 6' 1"; Senior
: MH

#8 Camila Vazquez
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: MH