NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Senior setter Jessica Piscitelli (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) recorded 13 services aces to lead the Niagara University volleyball team (1-1) to a 30-21, 30-10, 31-29 win over Quinnipiac (0-4) Saturday afternoon in the Western New York Invitational at the Gallagher Center.
Piscitelli’s 13 aces, an unofficial school record, were two shy of the NCAA Division I record set by Janelle Tomlinson of Wis.-Green Bay against Chicago State on Sept. 23, 2001, and by Veronica Canto-Ponce of Lafayette vs. Delaware State on Sept. 13, 2003. As a team, Niagara recorded 27 service aces, two shy of the NCAA Division I record. The University at Buffalo set the record with 29 against Niagara, Sept. 18, 1991.
"The aces were the catalyst for the win," said Rocco Lucci, Niagara’s head coach. "We ended up getting some aces and that gave our kids a lot more confidence to try other things in our offense. You get a couple of points ahead and you can relax and not to worry about being perfect.
The Purple Eagles opened a 14-4 lead in game one behind three kills from freshmen Holly Sahner (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East). Quinnipiac came within three points, 19-16, before Niagara used a run behind junior Raelean Rush (Amherst, N.Y./Sweet Home) who had two service aces, a kill and a block assist to give the Purple Eagles a 26-19 lead. Piscitelli then recorded her first ace of the match to give Niagara the 30-21 win.
In game two, Piscitelli opened the game with an ace. Niagara junior Jennifer Bryniarski (Amherst, N.Y./Sweet Home) then used two-straight aces as Niagara opened a 12-5 lead. The teams traded points before Piscitelli’s service game gave Niagara a 12-point run. Piscitelli recorded eight of her aces in the run, six consecutive.
Quinnipiac took advantage of five Niagara hitting errors to open an 8-3 lead in game three. Bryniarski brought the Purple Eagles to 9-7 with three-straight aces. Quinnipiac then used a run to take a 17-11 lead. Piscitelli again took serve after a kill by junior Maurin Lawrence (Corfu, N.Y./Notre Dame) and recorded two more aces to bring Niagara within one, 17-16. The teams traded points until Piscitelli made it around again in the service rotation with Niagara trailing, 28-26. After another ace, the match was tied. Quinnipiac took a 29-28 lead on a kill by Jenna Benigno before Natalie Crawford (Chatham, Ont./Pasco Hernado C.C.) tied the match with a kill. Lawrence gave the Purple Eagles a 30-29 lead with a kill before Rush ended the match with an ace.
Sahner led Niagara with nine kills while Lawrence added eight. Benigno led Quinnipiac with eight kills.
"This was a good win for our team at this point in the season," Lucci said. "This win will give us some good confidence going into tomorrow’s match. Our middles are still playing great as Annie Wachob hit .429 and Maurin (Lawrence) hit .353. If we’re passing well and can get the ball to our middles, we should be in great shape."
The Purple Eagles play Fordham at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Gallagher Center.
