Sophomore Erin Graham led Niagara with 13 kills Wednesday vs. Buffalo.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University volleyball team (4-17) lost its fourth-straight match, falling in three games (30-21, 30-25, 30-26) to Buffalo (8-11) Wednesday evening in the Gallagher Center on the Niagara campus.

"We need to find it from within to come to play every night," Niagara head coach Rocco Lucci said. "When we have the lead, we have to want to keep it."

Niagara was led offensively by sophomores Erin Graham (Oakville, N.Y./Oakville Alabama) and Michelle LeSouder (Stratford, Ont.). Graham had a team-high 13 kills and LeSouder had 12 kills. Defensively, senior Valerie Arnone (Buffalo, N.Y./Kenmore West) had seven block assists and libero Micole Daluisio (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) added 10 digs.

In game one, Niagara led 16-15 before Buffalo put together a 15-5 run to close the game. The Purple Eagles raced out to a 10-5 lead in game two, but the Bulls tallied nine of the next 13 points to tie the score at 14. Two more short runs of five points and three points by Buffalo increased its lead to 22-18. Niagara cut it to 25-23 on a LeSouder kill, UB error and a block from Graham and senior Stacy Koslosky (Elma, N.Y./Iroquois). But Buffalo won the game with three kills, a block and two Niagara errors.

Game three had both teams trading points until Niagara ran off six consecutive points for a 15-14 lead. UB tied it 20 all with four of the next five points. The teams continued to trade points until the Bulls scored four points on a kill, two Niagara errors and a block to take a 29-25 lead. After the Purple Eagles scored on a UB service error, Niagara recorded a hitting error to give Buffalo the match.

Buffalo was led by Molly Schrantz and Nikki Morzenti who each had 16 kills. Lindsay Matikosh added 12 kills and 10 digs.

Niagara returns to action Friday when it hosts Rider at 7 p.m. in the Gallagher Center.