Despite seven individual career highs being set and a season-high 60 assists by the team, Siena Volleyball dropped a heartbreaking defeat at Canisius 3-2 (21-25, 25-20, 25-22, 19-25, 16-18) in the MAAC opener at the Koessler Athletic Center in Buffalo on Saturday afternoon. 

The Saints (1-11, 0-1 MAAC) rallied back after dropping the opening set to take the next two sets in a seesaw affair. 
For the match, Siena recorded its second highest hitting percentage of the season on a .236 mark including .438 in the third set.

The Golden Griffins (5-7, 1-0 MAAC) pulled out the fourth and fifth sets by hitting .265 and then .324.

Several Saints readjusted their personal-best single-match performances as senior outside hitter Sara Wagner topped that list with 27 kills and 29.5 points. 

Sophomore setter Oliwia Majtyka set new highs in assists with 32 and digs with 15. The Saints showed a marked overall improvement in their defensive play with four players reaching double digits in their digs output including two that set new high with Salme Adeele Hollas credited with 17 and Ma'ila Stephens totaling 11.  Wagner also chipped in with 10 digs. 

Sophomore middle blocker Doga Diraz also set a new top mark in kills with 12. 

After losing a close first set, Siena led nearly wire-to-wire with a small lead throughout the second set with strong play from Hollas.

The third set had 16 ties and was closed out on kills from Wagner and Sina Toroslu with feeds from Majtyka. 

Siena grabbed a 3-0 lead in the fourth set and then the team traded off six ties before Canisius went on a key 5-0 run that kept them up for good for the remainder of the set.  Kara Zaucha closed it out with one of her team-high 19 kills on a feed from Jillian Hanna.

In the fifth and deciding set, there were six ties backed strongly by Wagner, who had five kills in the set.  Diraz and Olga Sawinska also had two kills apiece in the set, however Kalia Reisma had two kills to finish it for the Golden Griffins. 

Siena will be back on the courts on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Niagara in another conference clash.