BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Niagara University volleyball team topped rival Canisius, 23-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-20, on Wednesday evening to sweep the regular season series.

The Purple Eagles (9-13, 6-6 MAAC) have won nine of the last 12 meetings with Canisius (8-16, 6-6 MAAC) including sweeping the regular season series in six of the last seven seasons. Niagara also picked up a point in the Battle of the Bridge standings; the Purple Eagles now led 4-2 after four events.

"That was an important team win for the program and it put us in the driver's seat, if we can take care of business, for a playoff spot," head coach Vilis Ozols said. "I thought Melissa McGwin had a spectacular match and was the true difference maker. Alexis (Gray) had an awesome setting day and Rylee (Hunt) had a remarkable digging day. I thought our transition game was remarkable and that was a tribute to all six players on the court as we moved from defense and then back to offense effectively."

Niagara's middle blockers Melissa McGwin and Alex Stone and outside hitters Rayenne Hale and Nicole Mathis controlled the match. McGwin led the match with a career-high 20 kills and a career-high .514 hitting percentage, the highest by a Purple Eagle this season, to go along with one block and four block assists. Stone added eight kills, one block and three block assists. Hale had 12 kills and Matheis had a double-double for the third straight match with 10 kills and 12 digs.  Alexis Gray and Rylee Hunt each led the match with 41 assists and 26 digs, respectively.

The Purple Eagles had to battle back after falling in the first set and their rally fell short. Canisius held a 23-19 advantage, before the Purple Eagles cut the led to 24-23 on a kill by Hale. The Purple Eagles bounced back in set two led by McGwin's seven kills and .600 hitting percentage.  Niagara used a 6-0 spurt to extend its lead to 23-16 en route to closing out the set at 25-21.

Niagara went on another 6-0 run in the third set, coming off of two kills by Mathis and McGwin and one each from Hale and Taylor Edmonds. The Purple Eagles closed out the set with an emphatic kill by Hale to take a 2-1.

In the fourth set, the Purple Eagles broke a 10-10 tie with three straight points. NU had its lead cut to 13-11, but it would be the closet Canisius would get as the Purple Eagles gradually pulled away for the 25-19 fourth set win to finish the match.

Niagara continues its road trip this weekend with matches against Quinnipiac on Saturday and Fairfield on Sunday.

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