The Quinnipiac volleyball team defeated the Canisius Golden Griffiths in their home opener on Friday night, winning three out of four sets. With this win, the Bobcats move to 3-1 in MAAC play
A fast flowing first set saw Canisius take the first set 25-22, as they showed tough defense that stifled the Bobcats attackers initially. Facing early adversity, the Bobcats were able to regroup in the second set, forcing Canisius to make some mistakes to help them win the set.
“I thought they did well…I think there’s all the nerves for our first MAAC match at home, but I thought they did really well.” head coach Kyle Robinson said of how his team played in this game.
The Bobcats attack was fueled by stellar performances by graduate opposite Elena Giacomini, who had 31 kills in the match, and senior setter Damla Gunes with 43 assists in the matchup.
“When you have the setter of the year and the player of the year and they return, it’s great…it’s like having Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown.” Robinson said
Giacomini also spoke highly of Gunes, as the two frequently connected to help Quinnipiac pull away
“She is setter of the year for a reason, she knows how to put in the work, and she has a bunch of great attackers she can set.” Giacomini said
A highlight of the match was the impact of senior outside hitter Ginevra Giovagnoni, who missed last season due to injury. She finished the match with 2 aces, which came in key moments when the Bobcats needed to get important points
“Knowing that my teammates trust me and support me is key for me.” Giovagnoni said of how her teammates helped her throughout the match.
“She’s finally cleared to play, but we’re not gonna rush it, we are going to take our time, and give her an opportunity to get healthy.” Robinson said of handling Giovagnoni’s return to play.
The atmosphere in Burt Khan court was lively as fans filled the bleachers for the home opener. The Bobcats continuously fed off the energy and used the momentum from the crowd to pull them through a tough battle.
“We should be able to get 20 percent of the student body at our games, that is how you start to build traditions and school pride, I am really focused on building a legacy here.” Robinson said of the support today.
The players were grateful for the continuous support, and hope to see this type of support for future games.
“Thank you so very much, we appreciate you guys so much…knowing you have this support behind you makes you play better I think.” Giovagnoni said of the support.
“Guys, volleyball is the best sport in the world…it is so much fun to watch, I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to come.” Giacomini added.
The Bobcats will look to stack some wins together to open up their MAAC slate as they host Niagara tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Burt Khan Court.
