Volleyball

Fairfield, Canisius, Rider, Quinnipiac advance to 2021 MAAC Championship Semifinal Round

No. 1 Fairfield University – 3 | No. 8 Siena College – 1
2021 MAAC Volleyball Championship – Quarterfinal
UHY Center | Loudonville, NY
 
Fairfield University (22-8, 16-2 MAAC) outlasted Siena College (7-23, 7-11 MAAC) in a back-and-forth contest to advance to play Canisius in tomorrow’s MAAC Championship Semifinals at 4 pm.
 
Fairfield Notes
  • MAAC Setter of the Year Manuela Nicolini put up 51 assists and 13 digs for a double-double.
  • MAAC Player of the Year K.J. Johnson had a match-high 19 kills.
  • Sophomore Ella Gardiner added 12 kills and six blocks.
  • Libero Morgan Doll, Kyla Berg, Johnson, and Nicolini combined for 53 total digs.
 
Siena Notes
  • Graduate student Emily Wunder and Freshman Emily Wunder each had 13 kills in the loss.
  • Junior libero Gracie Halley added 18 digs.
  • Senior Abby Huffman totaled 7 blocks.
  • The Saints conclude their season going 7-22 overall and 7-11 in MAAC regular season play.
 
No. 4 Canisius College – 3 | No. 5 Niagara University – 1
2021 MAAC Volleyball Championship – Quarterfinal
UHY Center | Loudonville, NY
 
Canisius College (11-17, 10-8 MAAC) defeated Niagara University (13-15, 10-8 MAAC) 3-1 in the second match of the 2021 MAAC Championship Quarterfinals.
 
 Canisius Notes
  • Senior Rachel Kinney recorded 21 kills in the victory.
  • Senior Hannah Nelson added 14 kills and a season-high 20 digs.
  • Senior Ashley Kekeisen tallied a career-high 55 assists, which marks her fourth straight contest with 40 or more assists.
  • The Griffs take the season series from Niagara, 2-1 after today’s win.
 
Niagara Notes
  • All-MAAC First Team Outside Hitter Jaycie Roberts recorded 21 kills and 22 digs for her 20th double-double of the season.
  • All-MAAC Second Team senior Mary Redl also recorded a double-double with 19 kills and 17 digs.
  • MAAC Libero of the Year Amanda Darling totaled 33 digs on the afternoon.
  • The Purple Eagles conclude their season going 13-15 overall and 10-8 in MAAC regular season play.
 
No. 2 Rider University – 3| No. 7 Iona College – 1
2021 MAAC Volleyball Championship – Quarterfinal
UHY Center | Loudonville, NY
 
Rider University (18-11, 14-4 MAAC) defeated Iona College (10-18, 8-10 MAAC) 3-1 in the third match of the day to advance to the MAAC Championship Semifinals where they will face Quinnipiac University at 7 pm.
 
Rider Notes
  • All-MAAC First Team junior Morgan Romano had 26 kills in the victory to extend her conference lead.
  • All- MAAC First Team senior Anilee Sher recorded a double-double with 51 assists and 14 digs.
  • Rider outscored Iona throughout the four sets, 71-62.
 
Iona Notes
  • Iona led Rider in aces, 8-3.
  • Sophomore Jen Soto led the Gaels with 11 kills.
  • Junior Samantha Juran and sophomore Tamara Pichardo recorded 43 of the team’s 46 assists.
  • Iona concludes their season going 10-18 overall and 8-10 in MAAC regular season play.
 
No. 6 Quinnipiac University – 3 | No. 3 Marist College – 2
2021 MAAC Volleyball Championship – Quarterfinal
UHY Center | Albany, NY
 
Quinnipiac University (11-17, 9-9 MAAC) was the lone lower seed to advance to Saturday’s Championship Semifinals with a five-set victory over Marist College (17-13, 12-6 MAAC) in the fourth match.
 
Quinnipiac Notes
  • Four different Bobcats recorded double-digit kills: Nicole Legg (14), Lexi Morse (14), Aryanah Diaz (12), and Georgia Tselepi (12).
  • Senior Nicole Migliozzi and sophomore Chloe Ka’Ahanui each had 29 assists.
  • Diaz and first-year Faave Kimsel-Moe each had 18 digs for the Bobcats.
  • Quinnipiac won the fifth set, 15-10
 
Marist Notes
  • Sophomores Gabriella Heimbauer, Jordan Newblatt and Sasha van der Merwe combined to tally 63 of the Red Foxes’ 69 kills.
  • Senior setter McKinley Fox had 54 assists while senior libero Morgan Owens led the team with 23 digs.
  • Five Red Foxes totaled double-digit digs including Owens, freshman Jillian Hanna, Newblatt (15), van der Merwe (13), and Fox (11).
  • The Red Foxes conclude their season going 17-13 overall and 12-6 in MAAC regular season play.
 
All information regarding the 2021 MAAC Volleyball Championship can be found on maacsports.com.
 
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 41st year of competition during the 2021-22 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
 
Stay up to date with the MAAC on social media by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or visit MAACSports.com for all the latest MAAC news.