NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University volleyball team (2-6) dropped to 0-2 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action Sunday afternoon, losing in three games, 30-16, 30-20, 30-21, to Siena College (5-7, 2-0).

Junior Maurin Lawrence (Corfu, N.Y.) led the team with 10 kills and a .350 hitting percentage. Classmate Sara Mancini (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) had 23 digs. Niagara hit .042 for the match while the Saints hit .301 and had 13 aces.

In game one, Niagara hung with Siena early and tied it at 8-8 on a block solo by Lawrence, but the Saints pulled ahead 24-12 with timely kills and aces and four Purple Eagle hitting errors. Siena finished the game with three consecutive kills.

Niagara came out stronger in game two keeping within four points most of the game. The Saints went on a 9-5 run to take a 23-14 lead, but the Purple Eagles fought back with kills from junior Mallory Boron (Lockport, N.Y./Starpoint), Lawrence, freshman Holly Sahner (Dix Hills, N.Y.) and senior Annie Wachob (Buffalo, N.Y./Mount St. Mary’s) to trail 25-18. The Saints then used a Niagara service error, a kill and two aces to win. The Saints hit .361, making just two hitting errors while Niagara hit .214 with six errors.

Siena dictated the play in game three. The Saints scored on kills and the Purple Eagles scored on Siena errors. The Saints hit .324 with four errors on 38 attempts. Conversely, Niagara hit -.062 with eight kills, 10 errors on 35 attempts.

The Purple Eagles return to action Tuesday when they host Big Four rival Buffalo at 7 p.m. in the Gallagher Center.