Canisius Earns Four Set Win Over Rider; Advances to Fifth Place Match
MAAC Sports
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Seventh seeded Canisius College earned a 3-1 victory over fifth seeded Rider University and advances to the fifth place match of the 2014 MAAC Volleyball Championship at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The Griffs won the first set 26-24 in an exciting back and forth set. The Griffs and Broncs tied 13 times and exchanged lead changes 11 times during the set. Rachel Kline of Canisius and Jennifer Borio of Rider each had set highs of three kills in the set.
Rider would even the match at 1-1, after winning the second set 26-24. The Broncs jumped out to an early 8-3 lead over the Griffs after back-to-back services aces by Kaitlyn Griffin. Rider would lead for the majority of the set, extending its lead to five points before Canisius would take the lead for the first time in the set on a kill by Katlyn Tyler giving the Griffs a late 23-22 lead. The set would even up twice at 23 and 24 before two attack errors by Tyler would give the Broncs the set.
In the third set, Canisius only trailed in the early stages and controlled the majority of the set. Rider would keep the match close, never trailing by more than three points. With the set tied up at 14-14, The Griffs took the lead on an attack error for the final time and ended the set on an 11-3 run to take the set and match lead at 2-1.
Rider would jump out to an early 7-3 lead in the fourth set and then a 10-7 lead before Canisius would score three straight points to tie the set at 10-10. The contest would continue to go back and forth until the Griffs ended the set on a 5-1 run that was led by Lauren Siebert’s three kills and gave the Griffs the 25-20 set win and 3-1 match win.
The Griffs were led by Kline with 19 kills and Tyler who had 15 kills and 15 digs for the double-double. Rider was led by Griffin and Jaclyn Webber who both posted nine kills each.
Canisius moves on to face sixth seed Niagara University in the fifth place match tomorrow at 11a.m. Rider’s season comes to an with an overall record of 17-17.