Junior Erin Graham led Niagara with 24 kills and 17 digs Sunday.

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Gulhan Cakcak recorded five kills in the fifth game to lead Saint Peter’s to a 33-35, 30-20, 26-30, 30-26, 15-13 victory over Niagara University in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference volleyball action Sunday at the Gallagher Center. Cakcak, a junior from Balikesir, Turkey, finished with 23 kills and five service aces for the Peahens (6-16, 4-2 MAAC).

Niagara was led by junior Erin Graham (Oakfield/Oakfield Alabama) who had 24 kills and 17 digs.

"Our team knew how important it was to win this match but we lost our focus at times and didn’t make the adjustments we needed to make," Niagara head coach Rocco Lucci said. "They’re a team that just grunts it out and although we made some key plays, we were too passive at critical points in the match and couldn’t pull it out."

The Purple Eagles, now 5-16 overall and 3-3 in MAAC play, took advantage of six Saint Peter’s service errors and 10 kills by Graham, including the game-winner, to pick up the 35-33 game one win.

In game two, Niagara and Saint Peter’s were tied at seven before the Peahens ran off nine-straight points to take a 16-7 lead. Valeria Kovaleva had three service aces during the Peahens’ run as Saint Peters won the game, 30-20.

Graham again led Niagara in game three as she had three kills to score three of the Purple Eagles’ last five points in the 30-26 win.

In its 30-26 game four win, Saint Peter’s broke away from a 13-13 tie with an 8-0 run, fueled by Kovaleva, who had three kills and a solo block during the streak. After falling behind 25-15, the Purple Eagles rallied to make it 28-25 when sophomore Annie Wachob (Buffalo/Mount St. Mary’s) recorded one of her four kills in the game. Cakcak and Kovaleva each recorded a kill to close the game.

The Purple Eagles, behind four kills and a solo block by junior Michele LeSouder (Stratford, Ont./St. Michael), took a 9-4 lead in game five. Cakcak and Kovaleva each picked up a kill and Cakcak served an ace to bring the Peahens to within two, 9-7. Graham hammered a kill to give Niagara a 13-11 lead before Cakcak answered with a kill of her own to tie the game at 13. Cakcak then added two more kills to give Saint Peter’s the victory, snapping Niagara’s three-game home win streak.

Niagara travels to Lawrenceville, N.J., Friday for a 7 p.m. MAAC match vs. Rider.