SETTING THE SCENE:
• The Canisius College volleyball team hosts its second home weekend of the season, as the Blue and Gold welcomes Manhattan on Saturday and Iona on Sunday. Both matches are slated for 1 p.m.
• The Griffs first home weekend brought bittersweet results, as Canisius downed Saint Peter's in four sets but lost to Rider in three frames.
• Canisius is coming off a 0-2 road swing last weekend, facing the 6-1 Quinnipiac Bobcats and the 8-0 Fairfield Stags. Canisius lost both matches in straight sets.
SCOUTING THE GRIFFS
• Canisius enters this contest with a 3-12 record and a 1-5 conference mark so far this year.
• Canisius has been battling the loss of one of its key starters, as Katlyn Tyler has been unable to play the Griffs last four contests.
• A MAAC All-Preseason team honoree, Tyler, despite her injury, still leads the team with identical 3.11 kills per set and digs per set averages.
• The freshman class continue to make a mark on this team, receiving ample playing time in their inaugural campaigns.
• Leah Simmons leads all freshman on the team with a 1.37 kills per set mark as well as leading the whole team in blocks per set with a 0.73 average.
• Gabrielle Darnaby has played in 11 contests this season, and is averaging 1.35 kills per set and 2.02 digs per set.
• Freshmen Cassidy Ceriani and Carly Shifflet are both tied for second on the team in digs per set with match 2.14 marks.
• Ceriani has been the primary quarterback of the team's offense, dishing out 7.45 assists per set this season. She has 380 assists total through 15 matches played.
• Ceriani ranks up there in the conference in assists per set, ranking fifth in the MAAC. She is also ranked ninth in the conference in service aces per set with a 0.29 average.
• Getting Tyler back to full health may be the key to the Blue and Gold success, as Tyler ranks fourth in points per set (3.38 per frame) and third in kills per set (3.11).
SCOUTING THE JASPERS
• The Griffs and Jaspers meet for the 40th time in program history, as Canisius holds a 24-15 advantage over Manhattan.
• The Griffs have won four-straight at home, with the last home-loss against the Jaspers comingon Oct. 2, 2011.
• The Jaspers are looking to snap a two-match losing streak that has dropped them into a tie for sixth place in the MAAC.
• Senior Ivana Kostic (Grocka, Serbia) average 2.20 kills per set and ranks fifth in the league with a .266 hitting percentage.
• She also averages a team-best 0.68 blocks per set.
• Senior Milena Janjusevic (Belgrade, Serbia) leads Manhattan with 2.71 kills per set, while sophomore Olyvia Chaltas (Temecula, CA) registers 2.44 kills per set.
• Sophomore Zoe Lindsey (McHenry, IL) is second in the MAAC with 8.67 assists per set, and senior Allie Yamashiro's (Kapolei, HI) 4.26 digs per set are fifth-most in the conference.
SCOUTING THE GAELS:
• Canisius meets Iona for the 38th time in program history on Sunday, as the Gaels hold the edge, 22-15.
• The Griffs are 7-3 in their last 10 home matches against Iona and have won three of its last four at the Koessler Athletic Center.
• Iona enters this contest with a 3-15 record and like the Blue and Gold, has only won one conference contest through five matches this season.
• Iona has also struggled away from home, posting an 0-7 road mark.
• Claire Archibald leads the team in offense, with a 3.10 kills per set mark.
• Meanwhile The Gaels have a pair of setters dishing the ball around the offense, with Emma Rose (5.58 assists per set) and Kati Ferretti (5.31) running the offense.
• Archibald proves to be a dual threat on both offense and defense as she also paces the team in digs per set with a 2.77 digs per frame mark.
A LOOK AHEAD:
Following this weekend, the Blue and Gold have one more at home before taking to the road once again. Canisius wraps up its three-match homestand with a rivalry night against Niagara on Thursday, Oct. 13. Match time is slated for
