Approaching the very end of MAAC play, the Quinnipiac women’s volleyball team (7-19, 6-10 MAAC) prepares for game day, where they will take on Canisius (14-11, 12-4 MAAC) at Burt Kahn Court this Saturday. Coming down to the end of the wire, this game is crucial for both teams. Also, this game will include the celebration of Senior Day for the Bobcats.
The last time that the Bobcats and Golden Griffins met was on October 7 at Canisius. The Griffins swept the Bobcats in a dominating win (25-15, 25-17, 25-19). Leah Simmons lead the way to victory for Canisius with 17 kills and Camilla Vazquez added 10.
Players to Watch
Quinnipiac- Kat Miller
The only senior for Quinnipiac, Kat Miller has been the key to success for the Bobcats throughout the season. Miller was named MAAC Player of the Week on Tuesday, and her performance has definitely shown it. The energy that she will bring to the floor after coming off of an excellent weekend will be key in this coming game. Miller has been on roll, collecting a double-double in each of the last two games, and it would not be a surprise if she continued this trend, as her defense and offense both shine through often. She is also just shy of reaching 1,000 kills for her career with the Bobcats, so Miller will be looking to collect a few more kills in the game against Canisius.
Canisius- Leah Simmons
Leah Simmons appeared to be one of the major differences between Canisius and Quinnipiac the last time the two teams met. Simmons pounded 17 kills during this battle. She is a large offensive threat for the Golden Griffins and leads her team in kills for this season with 280. Quinnipiac will have to present a strong block against her. Simmons could deliver quite the performance this Saturday and will be a hard player to stop.
Keys to the Game
Quinnipiac – Making the Adjustments
The Bobcats need to make the adjustments to Canisius’s playing style. Last time the two teams met, Canisius swept Quinnipiac in an offensive frenzy, it is imperative that Quinnipiac has learned from that loss and that they use it to their advantage. The Bobcats know what they need to do to stop the Griffins now and the key is for them to execute accordingly. Quinnipiac blockers are going to have to add a large wall in the front row to create a nice defensive set-up, but also show some offensive authority in this matchup. The Bobcats could be considered the underdog, and that might just work to their advantage.
Canisius – Offensive Pressure
Offense is something Canisius executes exquisitely. The key for the Golden Griffins in this game will be to continue pushing the offensive front. This will force Quinnipiac to step up its defensive game. Canisius’s defense will obviously play a large role in the upcoming game, but if they apply offensive pressure then it should make it more difficult for Quinnipiac to keep up. Offense played a large role in Canisius’s win over Quinnipiac, and with that being said, Canisius must still stay level headed for the upcoming games.
The Game
Quinnipiac and Canisius will meet this Saturday at 1:00 PM on Burt Kahn Court. Quinnipiac’s senior day for the volleyball team will be celebrated before this game. Tune in to the game with Jacob Resnick and Sydney Bruner for QBSN at QuinnipiacBobcats.com.
