SATURDAY vs. CANISIUS

HAMDEN, Conn. —- Junior Aryanah Diaz struck the ball with her left fist, and when the ball landed on Canisius’ side of the net, she pumped her fist and roared, pumping her teammates up.

This was one of 12 kills Diaz had on Saturday.

And it helped the Bobcats defeat the Golden Griffins, 3-1.

Quinnipiac improved to 7-14 overall and 6-6 in the MAAC, while Canisius fell to 6-14 overall and 6-5 in the conference.

The energy that Diaz and the rest of her teammates had made all the difference on Saturday. After each point scored by the Bobcats, the players were very active in encouraging one another and making sure they never lost their momentum.

“We all decided to bring the energy today,” said senior Nicole Legg. “We really want to bring the energy at home and show what we have.”

They did just that, showing up at Burt Kahn Court on Saturday. The Bobcats won the first two sets of the match, 25-22 and 25-19, respectively.

Senior Georgia Tselepi had five kills in the first set alone, and sophomore Lexi Morse had four. Tselepi finished the match leading the team in kills with 13, and Morse had 10.

Diaz led the Bobcats in scoring in the second set with four kills, including the strong strike that got the whole team energized. She had 12 kills and 14 digs in the match.

After winning the first two sets and having a 19-16 lead in the third set, it seemed the Bobcats would run away with the sweep. However, Canisius went on a 9-3 run at the end of the set to come back and stay alive in the match. The Bobcats had to get back to how they were playing in the first two sets, and shake off what happened at the end of the third.

“In between the third and fourth set, we just came together and took a breather,” Morse said. “Anxiety levels rise up, and that typically happens with us.”

The fourth set was a very back-and-forth set. The game was tied 15-15, 17-17, and it became 21-19 Bobcats after great defensive plays. Quinnipiac pulled away at the very end of the match, and it was Morse who got the final kill to end it. 

This was Quinnipiac’s second match against Canisius this year. Their first match came on Sept. 26, and the Bobcats also won 3-1. Coach Kyle Robinson said the team used their previous success against the Golden Griffins to prepare for Saturday’s game.

“We built on some of the things we did well that first match, which was our service game,” Robinson said.

Robinson is happy with the way his team played, and enjoyed all the energy his players brought to the court against Canisius.

“I thought we saw a level of fight that we hadn’t seen in a long time,” Robinson said.

SUNDAY vs. NIAGARA

The Quinnipiac volleyball team defeated the Niagara Purple Eagles on Sunday in just four sets, improving their win streak to three games, and their overall record to 8-14. 

 The Bobcats, vocalizing their readiness in pregame warmups, brought energy and intensity to the Burt Khan Court.  

 Quinnipiac and Niagara locked themselves in a stalemate throughout most of the first set, tallying 11 points each through 22 serves. This trend would break following the first timeout, as Quinnipiac came out hot, going on an 8-3 run, quickly pulling away from Niagara. The Bobcats took the first set by a final score of 25-17.  

 Niagara would not go away quietly, matching the Bobcats in the second set 25-23, evening the match at one set a piece Plagued by attack errors, Quinnipiac allowed Niagara to gain momentum of its own, as it finished the second set on a 12-5 run.  

 However, it was all Quinnipiac the rest of the way. The Bobcats, led by junior outside hitter Aryanah Diaz, came alive in the second half of the match, winning the third set 25-16 and the fourth set 25-12.  

 The X-factor for the Bobcats was undoubtedly senior middle blocker Nicole Legg, who led the team in kills, total points, and hit percentage. Diaz looked sharp as well, playing the entirety of the match, while also tallying the most total attacks for the team.  

 “Now that we are back at home, we have something to prove,” Legg said. “This entire season has been an uphill battle, but now we are at that peak of showing who we really are.” 

 Head coach Kyle Robinson attributes the success of Legg to an all-around team performance, as well as improved chemistry between his players. Setters Chloe Ka’ahanui and Nicole Migliozzi combined for 48 assists on the day. In addition, first-year libero Faave Kimsel Moe tacked on six assists of her own.  

 “Now as [Legg] starts to get more comfortable, and the team starts to jell more and get some home games in, she is able to be highlighted better,” Robinson said.  

 Sophomore middle blockers Lexi Morse and Olga Zampati tied for the second most kills behind Legg, with 11 each. Morse finished the game with 13.5 points, bringing the energy for her team when they needed it most. 

 “We have to put all of our energy out on the court,” Morse said. “Next week we need to come back and do the same thing.” 

 Looking ahead for Quinnipiac volleyball, the Bobcats take on Fairfield next Sunday at home. Last time the two teams met, Fairfield swept the Bobcats in three sets, but Quinnipiac looks to flip the script in their next matchup. 

 With a win streak on the line, coach Robinson and the Bobcats aim to replicate their performance this weekend as the season begins to wind down. 

 “We’re starting to see the results of a lot of hard work and determination from the team,” Robinson said. “Our confidence heading into next week is very high.”