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Canisius University Athletics

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Bree Long sends the ball back vs Purdue Fort Wayne
Rachel Von
3
Winner Canisius Canis 2-1,0-0 MAAC
2
Western Ill. WIU 0-2,0-0 Summit League
Winner
Canisius Canis
2-1,0-0 MAAC
3
Final
2
Western Ill. WIU
0-2,0-0 Summit League
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Canisius Canis 25 24 25 22 15 (3)
Western Ill. WIU 17 26 21 25 7 (2)

Game Recap: Volleyball |

Volleyball downs Western Illinois in Day Two of Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational

The Canisius volleyball team defeated Western Illinois, 3-2 (25-17, 24-26, 25-21, 22-25, 15-7), in its final match of the Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational Saturday in Fort Wayne, Ind. 

The Golden Griffins moved to 2-1 on the young season while the Leathernecks, meanwhile, slipped to 0-2. 
 
MATCH RECAP:
The Griffs came out of the gates hot, scoring four of the first five points of the match courtesy of kills from senior Ella Loussia and a pair of errors from the Leathernecks. After exchanging points, the Griffs rattled off a 10-3 run to take control of the set before eventually claiming the opening frame, 25-17.
 
Canisius again got hot early during the second set, this time with sophomore Taylor Baldwin and Loussia nabbing kills early on. Western Illinois was able to climb back into the match and take a 17-11 lead midway through the set, yet the Griffs were not done. Sophomore Kara Zaucha rattled off four straight kills with Loussia and junior Alexa Albinson adding the final two kills to knot the match 17-all during a 6-0 run. Canisius and Western Illinois would continue to exchange blows until a 3-0 run by the Leathernecks gave them the 26-24 set victory and tied the match 1-1.
 
Tied 7-7 early in the third set, the Griffs found a spark and rattled off six unanswered points to jump ahead, 13-7. After a duo of quick scores from the Leathernecks, Canisius went on another run, this time a 6-3 spurt, to go up 19-12. Western Illinois would nearly tie the set, making it as close as 24-21, but a kill from Baldwin locked up the 25-21 victory and moved the Griffs ahead, 2-1.
 
The fourth set was all Western Illinois out of the gate with the Leathernecks moving ahead by as much as 11-3. A quick 4-0 run led by kills from Zaucha and Loussia cut the deficit in half, 11-7. The Griffs would continue to chip away at the lead, getting within one before Western Illinois closed out the frame with an ace from Aubrey Putman to tie the match, 2-2.
 
In the fifth set, sophomore Emma Mans registered back-to-back kills to force a Leathernecks timeout and give the Griffs some breathing room at 6-3. Canisius would not look back, extend its lead with Loussia finishing off Western Illinois with a service ace to clinch a 15-7 set win and 3-2 victory.
 
Loussia led the way for the Griffs in kills with 25 with freshman Isabella Bourque continuing her torrid start notching 53 assists. As a team, the Griffs hit at a .261 clip (66-19-180), their highest mark yet. 
 
Western Illinois was led by Elizabeth Ziegler with 17 kills and Maggie Craker chipped in 45 assits. As a team, the Leathernecks only hit at a clip of .148 (59-30-196).
 
MATCH NOTES
• Saturday's match between Canisius and Western Illinois was the first between the two programs.
• Every team that opened the set on the left side of the court won the set.
• Senior Elle Shult squared off against her old team as she began her collegiate career at Western Illnois in 2019. 
• The 2-1 start to the campaign is the Griffs' best beginning to a season since 2019, when they opened the year with a 2-1 finish in the Sacramento State Invitational. Canisius also won both of their matches at the Sacramento State Invitational in five sets.
• Loussia was named to the Purdue Fort Wayne Invitational All-Tournament Team. She registered 40 kills, seven service aces, and 25 digs over three matches.
• Bourque's 53 assists were just 11 shy of the record set by Shanon Jordan during the 1997 season for assists in five-game matches.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius will be in action Sept. 2-3 when they head to Pittsburgh to compete in the Duquesne/Robert Morris Invitational. The Griffs will face hosts Duquesne and Robert Morris along with William & Mary.
 
For the most up-to-date information on Canisius volleyball, follow @GriffVolleyball on Twitter and Instagram.
 
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