Scoresheets 

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles used a balanced, team performance to cruise past first place Marist in straight sets, 26-24, 25-20, 25-16, on Saturday.

"This was a very nice win for our players and it epitomizes the definition of a team victory," head coach Vilis Ozols said. "Our athletes played like a team in every facet of the game from defense to offense to our transition play. The players have a lot to be proud of after that effort today."

The Purple Eagles (12-14, 8-7 MAAC) had four players with at least seven kills and four players with at least nine digs in the match. Alexis Gray led the match with 31 assists to move into ninth on the single-season assists list (937). Gray was also one dig short of her 12th double-double of the season. Nicole Matheis led the match with nine kills and added 10 digs, Alex Stone and Rayenne Hale each had eight kills and Amanda Sedore had seven kills. Rylee Hunt shared match-high honors with 15 digs while Tara Topolski had a career-best 10 digs. Niagara had another strong service game. The Purple Eagles, who rank 16th in the nation in total aces, had six aces in today's match led by Hale's four.

"I thought our players won the understated passing and serving game and that set up everything from there on out," Ozols added.  "We had sixty digs spread out amongst the entire team. We had 40 kills spread out amongst the entire team."

The Purple Eagles set the tone early in the opening set by taking a 13-5 lead. The lead was at 16-9 when the Red Foxes (20-5, 12-3 MAAC) rallied to take a 21-20 lead.  The score would be tied three more times before the Purple Eagles scored the last two points on a kill by Gray followed by a block by Gray and Stone to win the set 26-24.

NU trailed 11-7 in the second set when a 9-0 run flipped the momentum in favor of the Purple Eagles; Hale was the server for eight of those points.  The Red Foxes scored three straight points to stop the run, but Niagara pushed through to win the second set, 25-20.

The third set was close throughout and had 11 ties as Marist tried to extend the match. However, it was another strong service game by Hale which helped NU seized control of the set. With the set knotted at 14-14, a kill by Hale started a 5-0 run in which she was the server for the last four points in the run.  The Red Foxes only manage to score two more points as a kill by Stone finished the match for the Purple Eagles.

Niagara closes out its home schedule on Sunday at 1 p.m. against Siena. The Purple Eagles will honor their three seniors – Allison Reis, Amanda Sedore and Tara Topolski.