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Niagara University Athletics

Stone
3
Winner Fairfield FFD 24-5, 17-0 MAAC
2
Niagara University NIA 11-17, 9-7 MAAC
Winner
Fairfield FFD
24-5, 17-0 MAAC
3
Final
2
Niagara University NIA
11-17, 9-7 MAAC
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Fairfield FFD 20 26 28 18 15 (3)
Niagara University NIA 25 24 26 25 7 (2)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball |

Volleyball Drops Five-Set Thriller To Conference-Leading Fairfield

SCORE: Niagara 2, Fairfield 3 (20-25, 26-24, 28-26, 18-25, 15-7)
RECORDS: Niagara (11-17, 9-7 MAAC), Fairfield (24-5, 17-0 MAAC)

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Purple Eagles fell in a five-set thriller to MAAC-leading and conference unbeaten Fairfield on Sunday to close out their home schedule.

Match Summary:
  • The Purple Eagles and Stags kept the first set even up until a score of 7-6, where NU would take the lead and never hand it back. Multiple kills throughout the set by Nicole Matheis, Caroline Leitch, and Madison May would give Niagara the first 25-20.
  • In a second set that saw 15 tied scores and seven lead changes, Niagara and Fairfield would battle it out until a victor would rise. An attack error and ball handling error on NU would give the Stags the set 26-24, evening up the sets.
  • The third set featured nine tied scores, with another critical ending. With a tied score of 26-26 after a kill by May, Fairfield would deliver a kill of their own, followed by an attack error on Niagara. The stags would take the third 28-26.
  • Niagara held control the entire fourth set, never decreasing the lead by more than two. A couple of kills by Madison May late in the set would help increase the lead for NU from 21-16 to 25-18, resulting in a set win for the Purple Eagles.
  • Fairfield reacted early in the fifth set, taking the lead to 7-3 before a timeout by Niagara. Although the Purple Eagles would fight back into the set, Fairfield would never relinquish the lead, ultimately winning the set 15-7 and the match 3-2. 

Purple Points
  • Madison May led Niagara with a career-high 22 kills, which are the third most by a Purple Eagle this season. She also added six digs.
  • Freshman Caroline Leitch registered a career-high in kills with 19.
  • Nicole Matheis had 13 kills for her 18th double-digit kills match and sixth straight.
  • Alexis Gray had her team-leading 12th double-double of the season with a match-high 49 assists and season-high 22 digs.
  • Rylee Hunt notched her first double-double of the season. Hunt had a career-high 14 assists to go along with a season and match-high 31 digs.
  • Niagara's 82 digs are the most this season and its 68 kills and 66 assists are the second most this season.
  
#AlexDay
  • Before the match, senior Alex Stone was honored as the lone senior on the 2016 team. Stone finished with eight kills and four block assists.

Coach's Corner
  • "I was really proud of the way our team played against the top team in the conference. We battled them eye-to-eye, but for different plays or bounces we know that it could have gone either way. I thought our defense was outstanding and our offense worked really well. It was a good outing even with the loss." – Head coach Vilis Ozols 
 
Up Next:
  • Niagara wraps up the regular season with matches at Manhattan on Saturday Nov. 12 and Iona on Sunday, Nov. 13.

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. 
 
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