NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – For the second-straight match, sophomore Nicole Piette (Lockport, N.Y./Lockport) recorded a career high in kills but Niagara University dropped a 32-30, 27-30, 30-24, 32-30 volleyball match to Loyola College in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action Sunday afternoon at the Gallagher Center.
Niagara falls to 2-9 overall and 0-4 in MAAC play while Loyola is 4-14 overall, 2-2 MAAC.
Piette, who recorded 21 kills in Niagara’s five-game loss Saturday, put down 24 kills Sunday as she hit .309 for the match. Piette tried to bring the Purple Eagles back in game four as she recorded 10 kills in that game.
Also setting a career high in kills was freshman Holly Sahner (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) as she posted 20. Setting a career best in assists was junior Mallory Boron (Lockport, N.Y./Starpoint) with 64. Senior Jessica Piscitelli (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) had 24 digs to go with a match-high four service aces. Piscitelli, the NCAA Division I leader in aces, now has 35 on the season.
In game one, Niagara rallied from a 9-5 deficit to eventually tie the match at 29-29 on a Piette kill. Loyola’s Blair Snyder then had two kills before teammates Chrissey Cruz and Karlee Woodward teamed for a block for the 32-30 win.
The Purple Eagles got five kills from Raelean Rush (Amherst, N.Y./Sweet Home) in game two while Sahner, Piette and junior Maurin Lawrence (Corfu, N.Y./Notre Dame) each picked up four kills as they won 30-27.
Loyola used a five-point run to open a 25-19 lead in game three behind two kills from Cruz. Woodward closed the game with a pair of kills to the 30-24 win.
The Greyhounds opened a 10-4 lead in game four with three blocks. Niagara cut the deficit to 15-13 after back-to-back kills from Piette. Piette and Sahner added two more kills as Niagara tied the match, 28-28. After a Niagara service error, Piette recorded another kill to force a 29-29 tie. The teams traded errors before Snyder gave Loyola a 31-30 lead with a kill. Cruz, the Loyola setter, ended the match with a kill.
Snyder led Loyola with 13 kills while Woodward added 12. Loyola recorded 15 team blocks in the match.
Niagara will play Fairfield at 6 p.m. Saturday in Fairfield, Conn.
