Box Score

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Fairfield University volleyball was edged by Canisius College 3-2 (25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 15-25, 15-17) this afternoon in battle for first place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The Griffs, who battled from two sets down and an 11-4 deficit in the fifth set, improve to 7-1 in MAAC play with the win while the Stags fall to 7-3 in league action.
 
Sophomore Caitlin Stapleton recorded a career-high 21 kills to go along with three total blocks for the Stags. Senior Brianna Dixion added 15 kills and nine digs while junior Hayley Moyer had 10 kills.
 
Junior Rachel Romansky and sophomore Camille Coffey each recorded double-doubles. Romansky finished with a season-high 56 assists and 15 digs for her tenth double-double of the year and added five kills and two total blocks. Coffey had a career-high 23 digs and a season-high 14 kills for her fourth double-double of the year while also tying a season-best with three total blocks.
 
Senior Kara Reis tallied 23 digs while sophomore Lindsay Weaver chipped in with six total blocks and six kills.
 
The two teams were evenly matched in the first set with 17 ties and nine lead changes. With the score knotted at 21-21, the Stags posted back-to-back points to gain some breathing room. An error by the Stags allowed the Griffs to pull within 23-22 but a kill by Stapleton returned the lead to two points. Canisius (10-8) answered with a kill to hold off set point, but Stapleton put it away with a kill.
 
Fairfield (12-8) trailed by three points, 21-18, late in the second set when they mounted a comeback. The Stags used a 4-0 run to overtake Canisius, 22-21. After a kill by the Griffs, Fairfield received consecutive kills from Dixion, Stapleton, and Coffey for the 25-22 win.
 
After tying several times in the third set, Canisius used a 4-0 run to break away from Fairfield, 20-16. The Stags closed the gap to 22-20 on a kill by Moyer but the Griffs were able to hang on for the 25-21 win. Canisius came out swinging in the fourth set, surging out to a 12-4 lead. Fairfield was unable to recover as the Griffs took the set 25-15 to even the match and force a fifth set.
 
In the deciding set, Fairfield jumped out to a 4-0 lead yet Canisius countered with a 4-0 run of its own to tie the set. The Stags answered with an impressive 7-0 run, which featured four kills and a block by Coffey, to make the score 11-5. The Griff chipped away at the Stags lead, moving within 13-12 after a pair of Fairfield attack errors and then tying it at 13-13 on a kill by Samantha Good. After trading points, Jessica Warner gave Canisius a 16-15 lead with a kill and the Griffs came away with the win after a Fairfield attack error.
 
Fairfield hit .163 for the match with 72 kills while Canisius hit .224 with 52 kills. The Griffs out-blocked the Stags, 13.5-10.5 while Fairfield had an 86-78 advantage in digs.
 
Fairfield returns to action tomorrow, October 14, at Niagara University. The Stags stay on the road next weekend with stops at Saint Peter's University and Manhattan College.