The Niagara volleyball team will put its conference win streak on the line with road challenges at Marist and Siena this weekend.

Niagara leads the conference in hitting percentage (.232) and opponent hitting percentage (.188) and is second in assists per set (12.16) and kills per set (13.26). The Purple Eagles also rank 11th nationally with 1.81 aces per set.

Niagara boast the conference leader in assists in freshman Nicole Bayer (10.65 per set) and in digs in senior Sam Morgan (5.95 per set). Morgan, who has an NCAA-best 114 straight matches recording double-digit digs, ranks fifth in the nation in digs per set this season.

The Purple Eagles have won 24 straight against MAAC opponents, which includes 21 straight conference matches. The last MAAC team to defeat Niagara is Sunday’s opponent, Siena, on Sept. 19, 2010. The Purple Eagles have lost their last six trips to Siena with their last win coming in a five-set contest on Nov. 1, 2003.

Niagara has defeated Marist (6-9, 3-2 MAAC) five straight times, including in the 2009 MAAC Championship Match. The Red Foxes rank in the MAAC top-five in hitting percentage (.207), kills (12.20 per set), assists (11.28 per set). Freshman Mackenzie Stephens is second in the conference in hitting percentage (.317) and leads the conference in blocks per set (1.00). Sophomore Grace Hill leads the team in kills and is sixth in the conference with 3.42 kills per set. 

Siena enters this weekend with a 4-10 overall mark and 2-4 record in conference. The Saints are second in conference in blocks (1.75 per set) behind Marist. Sophomore Taylor Akana leads the MAAC with 3.94 kills per set and junior Arielle Smith is third in the conference in digs per set (5.14).