Box Score SCORE: Niagara 3, Iona 2 (25-23, 25-27, 21-25, 25-23, 15-6)
RECORDS: Niagara (12-17, 10-7 MAAC), Iona (7-24, 5-13 MAAC)
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The Niagara University volleyball team won the fourth and fifth sets to defeat the Iona Gaels in the regular season finale on Sunday.

Match Summary

• The theme of the match started in the opening set. Niagara trailed 21-10 before storming back into the set. Niagara scored eight points when Taylor Kells was serving to cut the lead to 21-18. The Purple Eagles later tied the set 23-23 on a kill by Nicole Matheis and won the set on consecutive Iona errors.
• The second set had 11 ties including at 25-25 before consecutive kills by Amanda Gannon handed Iona the set.
• Iona had its best hitting percentage in the third set which helped the Gaels come away with a 25-21 win to take a 2-1 lead.
• In the fourth set, the Purple Eagles had to dig themselves from a hole once again. NU trailed 17-11 before tying the set at 22-22 after a kill by Alex Stone. With the set tied at 23-23, a kill by Madison May gave the Purple Eagles the lead and an attacking error by Iona clinched the set.
• Niagara, powered by a match-high .318 hitting percentage, closed the deciding set on a 11-2 run to win 15-6.

Purple Points

• Madison May had a match-high 17 kills in the win.
• Alexis Gray and Nicole Matheis each had double-doubles. Gray finished with 38 assists and had 13 digs for her 14^th double-double of the season and third straight while Matheis had her 12^th double-double and second straight with 11 kills and 19 digs.
• Niagara registered a season-high 96 digs. Rylee Hunt had her third straight 30-plus digs match with a match-high 31. Nicole Matheis had a season-high 19 digs, Taylor Kells provided a career-high 17, Alexis Gray had 13, Emillie Wright had six, Caroline Leitch had four, Madison May had three, and Alex Stone and Draik Banks each had one.

Coach's Corner

• "Iona came out with great intensity on their senior night and our big comeback rally behind the serving of Taylor Kells in the first set was critical.  This was a good tune up for the playoffs." – Head coach Vilis Ozols.  
   

Up Next

• Niagara will be the sixth seed in the 2016 MAAC Tournament and will face No. 3 seed Quinnipiac on Friday, Nov.

Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter @NUPurpleEagles and for volleyball updates at @NiagaraVB. Check in with the Purple Eagles on Facebook/PurpleEagles and on Instagram @NUPurpleEagles.