POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Freshman outside hitter Hannah Hedrick (Cincinnati, Ohio) was in top form for the Niagara volleyball team (4-21, 2-11 MAAC), but the Purple Eagles fell in four sets to Marist (12-13, 7-5 MAAC) on Sunday, 28-26, 25-15, 24-26, 29-27.

Hedrick recorded 23 kills to go along with 19 digs while hitting .321, accounting for 23.5 points in the loss. The 23 kills is one off her career high of 24, set one month ago at Loyola.

"Our team still lacks the mental toughness to come out on top," Niagara head coach Susan Clements said. "We end up having to fight ourselves rather than be able to completely focus on competing against the other team."

Freshman setter Michelle James (Cincinnati, Ohio) continues to pace the offense, coming up with 51 assists on 61 kills. The tally marked the sixth time this season, and the second time this week, that the rookie handed out 50-plus assists. She averages 9.82 assists per set in her freshman campaign. Her 923 assists ranks fifth on the school's all-time single season list with five matches remaining.

Freshman Holly Allgeier (Louisville, Ky.) and sophomore Lauren Costello (Webster, N.Y.) each added 12 kills in the loss. Costello attacked at a team-high .455 clip. Sam Morgan (Cincinnati, Ohio) recorded 26 digs, marking the fourth time in five games that she has recorded the most digs in a match.

Niagara returns home for the final two home matches of the season. The young Purple Eagles take on Saint Peter's on Nov. 1 at 1 p.m., before closing the home portion of the 2008 slate against Fairfield on Nov. 2 at 2 p.m.