Senior Michelle LeSouder |
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Smarting after posting a 0-2 record in its last two outings, the Niagara University volleyball team (12-7, 2-2) looks to return to the win column this weekend when it plays Siena College (12-11, 1-2) and Marist College (5-16, 0-3). The Purple Eagles take on the Saints at 4 p.m. Saturday and the Red Foxes at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Niagara had its seven-match winning streak and four-match home winning streak snapped last weekend when it lost to Iona (3-0) and Fairfield (3-0). It now sits in a three-way tie for third place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings with Saint Peter’s College and Canisius College and trailing Iona, Fairfield and Manhattan.
Seniors continue to lead the Purple Eagle attack. Outside hitter Michelle LeSouder (Stratford, Ont.) is hitting .265 and is second on the team in blocks (65). Middle attacker Karen Simpson (Rochester, N.Y.) tops the squad and the MAAC, averaging 1.23 blocks per game, and is also hitting .224. Outside hitter Stephanie Hopkins (Tonawanda, N.Y./Sweet Home) leads the Purple Eagles in kills per game (3.80) and is second in digs per game (3.86).
Setter Jennifer Hansford (Stratford, Ont.), who became the program’s career leader in assists on Oct. 23, tops the squad in assists per game (6.51) while libero Micole Daluisio (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) leads Niagara and is second in the league in digs per game (5.37).
After playing almost half of its MAAC matches, Niagara ranks first in assists (15.71), second in blocks (2.29) and third in hitting percentage (.235), kills (16.64) and digs (20.29) per game in league only-matches.
Siena completes a three-match home stand this weekend when it hosts Niagara. The Saints have won two of their last five matches, but snapped a three-match losing streak with a four-game win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Tuesday. They currently are tied for seventh in the MAAC standings with Loyola.
Siena has three players hitting .200-or-better on the season and the group is led by sophomore outside attacker Nadiege Honore. She is hitting a team-best .259 and also tops the squad, averaging 3.76 kills per game. Junior outside hitter Christie Gustafson is hitting .207 and leads the team in aces (30). Senior middle blocker Liz Hubbard is hitting .291 and has a squad-leading 52 blocks. Freshman libero Kathi Kobayshi is averaging a team-best 3.42 digs per game.
Marist looks to snap a six-match losing streak this weekend when it hosts Canisius and then Niagara. The Red Foxes last won on Sept. 27 when they beat Lehigh in three games. They are currently in last place in the MAAC.
Senior middle blocker Sally Hanson leads the Marist offensive attack. She is hitting a team-leading .406, averages 2.62 kills per game and has a squad-best 45 blocks. Junior outside hitter Jaime Kenworthy leads the team in kills per game (3.00) while senior libero Katie Lux is averaging a team-best 3.62 digs per game.
