POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Niagara University volleyball team (2-5, 0-1) lost its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference season opener Saturday, losing at Marist College, 3-2 (33-31, 30-27, 17-30, 23-30, 8-15).

Niagara had a two-game lead in the match, but saw it slip away as the Red Foxes won the final three games.

"Our middles played really well in the first games, but we struggled from the outside all day," Niagara head coach Rocco Lucci said. "Give Marist credit. They played so much better in the last two and half games."

Junior Maurin Lawrence (Corfu, N.Y.) led Niagara with a career high 15 kills and sophomore Nicole Piette (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) had 12 kills and three blocks. On the outside, junior Raelean Rush (Amherst, N.Y./Sweet Home) and freshman Holly Sahner (Dix Hills, N.Y.) combined for 21 kills. Rush also had a personal-best 20 digs. Junior Mallory Boron (Lockport, N.Y./Starpoint) had a career high 49 assists and tied her personal-best with 10 digs. Classmate Sara Mancini (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) collected a career and team high 22 digs.

In game one, Niagara took a 14-9 lead when it strung six consecutive points together. Marist tied the game at 15-15, taking advantage of three Purple Eagle errors and a pair of kills by Christy Lukes. The teams traded points right up until 31-31 before senior Annie Wachob (Buffalo, N.Y./Mount St. Mary’s) had a kill and then teamed with Piette on the game-ending block.

Rush was held without a kill in game one and most of game two until she sparked 5-2 rally late in game two for the win. The outside hitter snapped a 26-26 tie with back-to-back kills, her first of the match. Marist capitalized on a Niagara serving error and a kill of its own to pull within one, 27-26. Rush and Piette then strung two kills together and after a Red Foxes kill, Piette ended the game with a kill.

Niagara dug itself a good hole in game four. Marist raced out to a 16-6 lead before the Purple Eagles charged back. Rush had a kill and an ace and with three Red Foxes errors, made it 16-11. Marist kept the pressure on, outscoring the Purple Eagles 13-6 to win the fourth game.

Marist forced a game five when it continued to improve its hitting. The Red Foxes .325 compared the Niagara’s .103. The teams trading points until the middle of the game when Marist had two kills, Niagara had an error and the Red Foxes were up, 22-18. Senior Jessica Piscitelli (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) had an ace, then a service error and Piette had a kill to make it 24-22, but Marist outscored the Purple Eagles 6-1 to even the match at 2-2.

In the game five, Marist again started out fast, taking a 5-1 lead. The lead increased to 13-6 with Niagara’s points coming on three kills from Rush and two Marist errors. Piette had a solo block to pull within 13-7, but the Red Foxes came back with a kill for 14-7. Maurin Lawrence made it 14-8, but Marist won on a final kill.