BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Stags fought to keep their winning streak alive, but in the end the squad could not get that final kill.  Fairfield fell to host Canisius in five sets (25-20, 16-25, 26-24, 19-25, 14-16).

In a fifth set that featured 12 ties and three lead changes, the Stags (9-10, 5-4 MAAC) were hurt by six attack errors in the deciding set which was enough to give Canisius the match.  Fairfield recorded 12 kills in the fifth set as Canisius (4-13, 4-4 MAAC) would only notch one attack error and one service error in the frame.  Caitlin Stapleton led the way in the fifth with three kills and a .600 hitting percentage.  She tallied her 989th career kill and is now 11 away from being the 12th Stag to reach the 1000 kill milestone. 

Fairfield held the lead 10-9 in the deciding set after a kill by Lindsay Weaver but Canisius was able to fight back.  The Stags would tie the match two more times in the set but a kill by Kristin Bendy sealed the deal.

Fairfield took the first set hitting a match-high .268.  Reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week Megan Theiller had six kills in 12 attempts and Stapleton hit .400 in the opening stanza.  The Stags held a seven point lead late in the set leading 21-14 but Canisius charged back to cut the deficit to four.  Hadley Orr gave the Stags a sigh of relief with the set ending kill.

After dropping the second frame, the Stags took the lead for good in the third after an attack error by Rachel Kline made the score 12-11.  Seven Stags tallied a kill in the frame with Sydney Buckley picking up her first kill of the match to go along with seven assists.  Fairfield only had four errors in the stanza and hit .333, winning the third in extra time.  Fairfield led 24-20 in the third, but Canisius was able to see of four set points to tie the score at 24.  After a service error by the home team, Orr was able to find the floor on the other end for a set winning kill.

The Griffs led by as many as 10 in the fourth frame and did not look back.  Fairfield cut their deficit to four at 23-19, but Canisius ended the set with back-to-back points capped by an ace by Grace Streicher.

For the match, Camille Coffey led all players with 28 digs.  Stapleton had a team-high 17 kills with a .306 hitting percentage.  Megan O'Sullivan led the squad with four block assists, and Carsen Mata and Buckley combined for 56 assists.  The Stags struggled from the service line with 12 errors compared to two aces.

The Stags will look to get back on track in Buffalo, when they travel to Niagara University for a match with the Purple Eagles.  Game time is at 1 pm.