Quinnipiac volleyball began its home season with a commanding victory over Canisius University in four sets (22-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-23) on Friday’s QU Fights Cancer Night.
Senior setter Damla Gunes dominated the stat sheet, recording a double-double with 16 kills and an astounding 43 assists (three more than the entire Canisius team combined). Senior outside hitter Yagmur Gunes had a double-double of her own with 13 kills and digs respectively, as well as a team high three aces. Graduate student opposite Elena Giacomini made her presence felt as well with 31 kills on the night, more than doubling the next highest total for any player in the match.
“It’s huge. When you have the setter of the year and the player of the year return, it’s great,” said head coach Robinson about his star players postgame. “They’re good leaders on our team and they’re playing well.”
Quinnipiac entered the match 5-10, looking to the home crowd to ignite a turnaround. Feeling the energy, Gunes began the night with an ace to put the Bobcats up 1-0 in the first set. The majority of the first set was a back and forth affair featuring the most impressive volley of the night, which was won by Quinnipiac thanks to a Giacomini dunk shot. Canisius would also boast the longest scoring run of the night for either side in the first set; a 5-0 run to put the Golden Griffins up 12-7. This run would also power them to a 25-22 victory in the set, capped by back to back aces by sophomore libero Olivia Van Kooten.
The Bobcats came alive after going down 3-0 to start the second set, and would not trail by more than two at any point after. A 4-0 scoring run powered by a one-arm dig by Yagmur Gunes to go along with two aces would put Quinnipiac ahead in the frame. The Bobcats would add an additional 3-0 scoring run later on in the second set, highlighted by an ace from senior outside hitter Ginevra Giovagnoni. After going up 17-13, the Bobcats had forced Canisius to take their first timeout of the match, though it didn’t slow the home team’s momentum. Gunes’ second ace of the night proved to be the deciding factor, putting Quinnipiac up by a sealing 25-19 margin.
“I think our service takes care of all of that,” Robinson said when asked about the exceptional play of the Golden Griffin middles, especially in the second set. “Our service takes teams out of system, and kind of eliminates the factor of having their middles.”
Quinnipiac had yet another early scoring run in the third set, with a 3-0 flurry putting them up 6-2. Gunes had two major kills in the set to continue the momentum through the middle part of the frame. Canisius would use both of its timeouts for the set within the span of a few minutes as Quinnipiac quickly took control toward the end, going up 17-11 at the time of the Golden Griffins’ second stoppage.
Giacomini had a kill between the timeouts, and Gunes would add one more dink shot as the final point before Canisius’ second timeout. The set would end with Canisius’ junior outside hitter Azoria Davis committing an error when her serve hit the net, awarding Quinnipiac its 25th point.
Quinnipiac and Canisius would go back and forth in the fourth and final set, with both sides going on respective 3-0 runs. Gunes recorded multiple cross-court kills from this side of the court, where she had struggled in the previous set, having hit a few out of bounds. Canisius and Quinnipiac would exchange timeouts in the later goings as well, with the Bobcats up 22-21. Freshman outsider hitter Vittoria Tonelli would record a kill to put the Bobcats up 23-21, and delivered an ace to inch closer to the win. Fellow freshman middle blocker Asia Belli would seal the victory with a great serve of her own, taking a tough bounce off the forearm of a Golden Griffin for the 25-23 set win.
Robinson emphasized how important having the home crowd behind him and his players is for the team.
“I made the comment last week about Toad’s and Dick’s…So come pregame at our volleyball matches,” he said., “I’m really focused on legacy. Money is great, hanging banners is cool, but the legacy I leave is important. I think our student body should also think about (their) legacy.”
The Bobcats will return back to Burt Khan Saturday, Oct. 4, to face Niagara University, set to start at 1 p.m.
