CANISIUS COLLEGE ATHLETICS
Canisius (1-2)* at Akron (2-1)*
Date: Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018
Time: 12:30 p.m.
Location: James A. Rhodes Arena – Akron, Ohio
Live Video: Not Available
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Twitter: @GriffVolleyball l #Griffs |#MAACVB
Canisius vs Maryland (2-1)*
Date: Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: James A. Rhodes Arena – Akron, Ohio
Live Video: Not Available
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Twitter: @GriffVolleyball l #Griffs |#MAACVB
Stony Brook (2-2)* vs Canisius
Date: Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: James A. Rhodes Arena – Akron, Ohio
Live Video: Not Available
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Twitter: @GriffVolleyball l #Griffs |#MAACVB
*Records as of Aug. 30, 2018
After opening the year at the CSU Invitational, the Canisius volleyball team continues its 2018 season this weekend when it travels to the Akron Invitational for three matches at the James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio.
Scouting Canisius
• Heading into the second weekend of play, the Golden Griffins sit at 1-2, losing in five sets to Montana State on Friday. The Blue and Gold rebounded by defeating Binghamton in four sets, ending the weekend with a three-set loss to defending Horizon League champion Cleveland State.
• The Griffs were led by freshman Melina Woods, who opened her collegiate career with a 10-kill match versus Montana State on her way to racking up 29 total kills during the tournament to go with a team-best seven service aces.
• Junior Leah Simmons is second on the squad after three matches, recording 24 kills while chipping in seven total blocks.
• 2018 All-MAAC Preseason Team selection Sara Wesley also added 21 kills to the Blue and Gold’s effort. She pitched in seven total blocks as well.
• Sofia Lopez Acosta is pacing the team in digs with 52, adding 11 assists.
• The freshman contributions did not stop at Woods, as Camila Vazquez led the Griffs with eight total blocks, with Vazquez and Hannah Nelson both registering 19 kills, while Ashley Kekeisen finished with 49 assists and 29 digs.
Ceriani Named to CSU Invitational All-Tournament Team
• Junior Cassidy Ceriani was selected as the Canisius representative to the CSU Invitational All-Tournament Team, leading the Blue and Gold with 64 assists.
• Ceriani was also one of four Griffs to reach 20 kills, notching 1.67 kills per set over three matches.
• The 2016 MAAC All-Rookie Team selection added 36 digs, three total blocks and a pair of service aces.
• Heading into play Saturday, Ceriani sits tenth in program history with 1,753 career assists.
Scouting Our Opponents
• The tournament host Akron started off the season with a five-set win over host Cal State Fullerton at the Fullerton/Riverside Classic. Akron finished up the weekend by splitting a pair of matches with Eastern Washington and Montana. The Zips are led by Kayla Gwozdz (46 kills) and Alexis Adleta (44 kills), while Emily Weigand has already surpassed the century mark for assists this season with 107.
• Maryland started 2018 with a pair of sweeps over Wake Forest and UNC Greensboro at the Wake Forest/UNCG Tournament before finishing the trip with a loss in five sets to Air Force. Erika Pritchard paces the Terrapins with 44 kills and Nicole Alford leads the team with 114 assists. Allegra Rivas tops the squad with 48 digs.
• 2017 America East champion Stony Brook opened the 2018 campaign by earning wins over Jacksonville and San Jose State at the South Florida Tournament. They closed out the event with a five-set loss to USF. Stony Brook returned to New York to drop a three-set match at Hofstra in non-conference play on Tuesday. For the Seawolves, Emily Costello enters with a team-best 54 kills, LeAnne Sakowicz sits with 178 assists and Kendra Harlow paces them with 12 total blocks.
Up Next
• Canisius concludes its season-opening tournament play next weekend, heading to Kalamazoo, Mich., to play in the Delta Hotel by Marriott Kalamazoo Conference Center Tournament. The Griffs open the event by taking on Milwaukee at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 7. The Blue and Gold face host Western Michigan on Sept. 8 at 10 a.m., before closing out the weekend with a 4:30 p.m. match against Loyola Chicago.
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