BUFFALO, N.Y. – Faced with an 11-8 deficit in the fifth set of Sunday afternoon's MAAC match at Canisius, Fairfield University Volleyball reeled off six straight points and then held off one final push from the Golden Griffs to take the 3-2 victory.
Maya Walker posted a pair of career highs with 14 kills and 11 blocks, and
Allie Elliott continued a huge weekend in Western New York with 18 kills and 18 digs.
The Stags took the match by set scores of 21-25, 25-19, 25-17, 17-25 and 15-13 to improve to 7-0 in the MAAC and 9-9 overall. Fairfield fell behind 1-0 for the first time in league action and went to a fifth set for the first time against a MAAC foe this fall. Canisius, which won a five-setter against visiting Sacred Heart on Saturday, slips to 8-10 on the year and 4-3 in conference play.
Walker's new career-best 14 kills came on .364 hitting, and the junior matched her personal standard with 11 blocks. Elliott followed up Saturday's 10 kill and 28 dig outing with a new career-high 18 kills along with 18 digs today.
Offensively, the Stags also got nine kills from
Mamie Krubally, eight for Svenja Rodenbüsch, seven by
Emma Beretich and one from
Mikayla Haut.
Abby Jandro ran the attack to a career-best 42 assists, with
Blakely Montgomery adding 10 assists in three sets of action. Fairfield hit .216 for the match, capped by a .438 clip to finish off the Griffs in the fifth frame.
Fairfield totaled 14 blocks in the contest, with Walker's 11 setting the pace. Rodenbüsch had a hand in six blocks for the Stags and Elliott played a role in four rejections.
Defensively,
Kyla Berg donned the libero jersey and posted 27 digs – one shy of her career high. In addition to Elliott's 18, Rodenbüsch finished with 13 and
Noelle Carey had 10 from the back row. All told, Fairfield limited Canisius to a .164 hitting percentage.
The Griffs were led by 18 kills by Lauren Hubert as well as 13 kills and 14 digs registered by Sofia Hedqvist. Jillian Hanna led all players with 30 digs and also served up three aces for the hosts.
Fairfield will now return to Leo D. Mahoney Arena to begin a five-match homestand with visits from Saint Peter's and Rider on Oct. 19-20. The Stags will not leave the Town of Fairfield again until November, also hosting Bryant, Siena and Marist before heading across town to challenge Sacred Heart on Oct. 30 to round out the month.
