BUFFALO, NY - The Iona University volleyball team erased a 2-0 deficit and pulled out a thrilling five-set win over Canisius in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play at the Koessler Athletic Center. The Gaels dropped the first two sets 25-21 and 25-20 before pulling out 25-23, 25-22 and 15-10 wins in the final three frames. Senior libero Hope Matschner set a career-high with 51 digs and senior Jen Soto put down a career-best 20 kills to seal the win for the Maroon & Gold.

SET 1 (CANISIUS 25, IONA 21)

The Gaels pulled out to a 16-11 advantage to start the set before Canisius rattled off 10 straight points to take a commanding 21-16 advantage. The Griffs led by as many as six at set point and Iona closed within three before the final tally by the home team. Sophomore Mackenzie Wiggins led with five kills, junior Tamara Pichardo had 12 assists on the Gaels' 14 kills and Matschner opened the game with nine digs.

SET 2 (CANISIUS 25, IONA 20)

The second set the tone for the next three with each seeing nine tie scores and at least four lead changes. The final tie in set two came at 18-18 and the fourth lead and final change came on the next point for the Griffs. Canisius tallied the final four points of the set to win by five. Soto had five kills, Pichardo added another 11 assists and Matschner had a career single-set high with 16 digs.

SET 3 (IONA 25, CANISIUS 23)

Iona's largest lead came at 8-5 early and Canisius' at 17-15. Wiggins' ace gave Iona a 22-21 advantage. The Griffs knotted the score at 22 before three of the last four points came from the Maroon & Gold as the visitors pulled within 2-1. Wiggins had six kills, Pichardo had her third straight double-digit assist set with 12 among Iona's 13 kills and Matschner remained a stalwart with 13 digs.

SET 4 (IONA 25, CANISIUS 22)

The Gaels evened the match at two apiece, taking the first three-point advantage by either team at 16-13. The Griffs pulled within one at 21-20, but four of the final six points by Iona sealed the frame. Soto had seven of Iona's 11 kills in the set. The Maroon & Gold had five blocks in the fourth set with rookie Buse Tinaz involved with three of them.

SET 5 (IONA 15, CANISIUS 10)

Tinaz gave Iona a 2-1 lead early that they would not relinquish. Freshman Ava DeGuzman put the Gaels ahead 6-2 and her solo block gave the team a 14-10 lead representing the largest margins before the decisive point. Freshman Ezzie Thomson banged home an overpass to win the match for the Maroon & Gold. The Gaels 15 points came on nine kills, three blocks and three Canisius' hitting errors.

IONA PERFORMERS

• Matschner's 51 digs shattered the previous school record of 43 shared by Matschner and former Gael liberos Katie Marabella (2014) and Allison Nieters (2007, 2x). It was her fifth career effort of 40 or more digs and 12th in program history. Nieters is the only other Iona player to record multiple 40+ dig matches during her tenure. Her 1,685 career digs are second only to Nieters (2,682).
• Soto had her first collegiate 20+ kill effort, increasing her career-best from 17 at Saint Peter's in 2021. She also set career-highs with 53 attack attempts and three assists. Soto hit .264 and recorded seven digs and five blocks.
• Pichardo's 47 assists were a career best. Her previous best was 37 in the same match vs. the Peacocks as Soto's 17 kills in 2021. Pichardo's four kills was also a career-high while her three blocks matched her best effort for the third time, including twice this year.
• Wiggins had a 16-kill, 14-dig double-double, her second straight and team-leading sixth of the season. She set a career-high with 69 attack attempts.
• The freshman trio of DeGuzman, Thompson and Tinaz combined for 18 kills and eight blocks with each setting separate season-highs. DeGuzman's four blocks, Thompson's four blocks and Tinaz' six blocks, five digs and 19 attacks were all top performances for the Gael freshmen.
• Sophomore Rose Porter had a career-best 12 digs, her first collegiate double-digit effort.

THE OPPONENT

• Lauren Hubert posted 18 kills and 23 digs and Kara Zaucha had 17 kills and 21 digs to lead the Griffs who played just seven performers in the five-set match.
• Setter Ella Bourque had 55 assists and Cameron Grange led with 29 digs and six aces.

TEAM STATS / SUPERLATIVES

• In its three set wins, Iona recorded side out percentages of 66%, 63% and 81% and in its two losses it was 44% and 54%
• Both teams had more than 200 attack attempts in the match, the only two teams in the MAAC to reach the mark this season. They both had 100+ digs, accounting for two of the three efforts in 2023 by league members.
• Soto had one of nine 20+ kill efforts by a MAAC performer this year with two other coming on Sunday.
• Matschner is the only MAAC performer with 30 or more kills in a match and now has two in 2023.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

• Quinnipiac won twice this weekend over Marist and Siena to remain the league's only unbeaten team.
• Fairfield, Iona, and Marist are tied for second at 3-1 with weekend splits.
• Niagara also swept the weekend with wins over the Gaels and Manhattan.

UP NEXT

The Gaels face a major text next weekend hosting 4-0 Quinnipiac on Saturday and 3-1 Fairfield on Sunday for 1 p.m. matches at the Hynes Center.

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