By: Colton Pankiewicz, Assistant Sports Editor
In the first game back in the Koessler Athletic Center since January 21st, Canisius tipped off against the red hot Iona Gaels on Saturday looking to snap what was a six game losing streak.
Canisius trailed the strongest team in the MAAC closely until just before the six minute mark in the first quarter when the Griffs watched their veteran guard, Vannessa Garrelts drain a jump-shot that gave Canisius their first, and last lead of the game. In that same quarter, Iona guard Juana Camilion stole the ball from the Griffs freshman Sisi Eleko, while the steal didn't translate to points, it did break the Iona Gaels record for all-time steals.
Canisius escaped the first quarter, down just 24-21 and was going shot for shot with the team who came into the game on a ten game winning streak. That three point deficit that the Griffs came out of the first quarter with was as close as they got to overtaking Iona in the first half, as Canisius headed into the locker room trailing 37-30.
Down seven returning from halftime, the Griffs leading scorer Dani Haskell made a quick three point jumper just seconds into the third quarter. The junior guard quickly stripped the ball away from Iona’s Thoranna Hodge-Carr and took it for a fastbreak lay-up. The basket cut her team's lead to just two.
That was as close as Canisius got to upsetting the Gaels, and despite the effort, the Griffs lost the game 68-58.
Head coach Sahar Nusseibeh and her team packed up and went on the road days later, for an 11 a.m. game against the second seeded Quinnipiac Bobcats, marking their second matchup of the season.
The Griffs ran into another hot team with the Bobcats winning six straight and looked to make Canisius their seventh. Quinnipiac did just that, with Canisius failing to match the intensity the Bobcats brought. The Griffs were out-rebounded 42-14, which made life a lot easier for their opponents to get second chance points.
The Griffs bread and butter, the three point shot, which is what they are known for in the MAAC, didn’t even make it on this road trip going just 1-11, the worst three point shooting performance under head coach Sahar Nusseibeh.
Canisius sophomore, Cheyenne Stubbs led her team in scoring. Her 13 points made up 36% of her team's score as the Griffs were blown out 73-36.
Canisius will continue on the road this week to Fairfield as they take on the Stags, in hopes to snap their eight game losing streak on Saturday.
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