Live Stats

The Niagara volleyball team begins its 2012 campaign with three matches at the La Salle Invitational this weekend.

First-year head coach Dottie Porch will make her head coaching debut when the Purple and White face the host, La Salle, on Saturday at 1 p.m. Niagara’s second match of the day will be against the Loyola (Il.) Ramblers at 3 p.m. The Purple Eagles conclude weekend play against Bucknell on Sunday at 11 a.m.

Niagara opened its 2010 season at the La Salle Invitational, going 2-1 including a victory over the Explorers. The 3-0 win for the Purple Eagles was their first against LaSalle in seven attempts.  LaSalle is coming off of a 6-27 season, but returns five seniors to go along with five newcomers.

NU will face the Ramblers for the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2003. Niagara will be looking for its first win in the series. The Ramblers went 4-22 last season under first-year head coach Chris Muscat.

The Purple Eagles last played Bucknell in 2010 during the Niagara/Canisius Invitational. NU breezed to a straight set win in the inaugural Block Blood Cancers match played at the Gallagher Center. The Bison bring back 12 players from last season’s team that went 6-17.

The three-time defending MAAC champion was recently picked second in the 2012 MAAC Preseason Poll. NU returns six letterwinners from last season’s team including MAAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player Kari Honomichl and All-MAAC Second Team member Ellen Senf  Also returning is two-time MAAC Setter of the Year Michelle James, who missed a majority of last season due to injury. Honomichl and James were both named to this season’s Preseason All-MAAC Team.

Three of the top four leaders in kills are back this season – Honomichl, Senf and Amanda Wilken – and the trio accounted for 56 percent of the kills. NU will look for added contribution from sophomores Amanda Sedore and Allison Reis, while the team will welcome five new faces in freshmen Taylor Edmonds (S/RS), Logan Rae (DS/OH), Kyra Spahn (DS/OH), Chelsea Watson (MB) and sophomore Tara Topolski (DS).