DAYTON, OHIO – The Niagara volleyball team split a pair of matches on the final day of the Holiday Inn Classic hosted by Wright State. The Purple Eagles fell to the Evansville Purple Aces in four sets (21-25, 25-21, 27-25, 25-15) before defeating the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles in four sets (25-21, 15-25, 25-21, 25-21).

Sophomore libero Rylee Hunt was named to the All-Tournament team. Hunt averaged 5.25 digs per set, 1.5 assists per set and had a .986 reception percentage while starting in all 12 sets. Hunt had a double-double against Evansville and led the match in digs against Tennessee Tech with 22.

Evansville 3, Niagara 1
Niagara dropped the battle between the "Purple" mascots despite winning the first. The Purple Eagles, who hit a match-best .209 in the opening set, pulled away for a 25-21 first set win. With the set tied at 17-17, a kill by Mackenzie Keating sparked a 7-1 run en route to the opening set win.

The Purple Aces tied up the match in the second set as they benefitted from a run with the score tied at 17-17. Evansville scored three straight points and led 22-21 before closing out the set with three straight points.

The Purple Aces edged the Purple Eagles to take the pivotal third set. The back and forth nature of the set wen in favor of Evansville when Niagara suffered consecutive attacking errors to fall 27-25. A fast start by Evansville in the fourth set buoyed the Purple Aces to the four-set win.

Three Purple Eagles had double-doubles: Nicole Matheis with 11 kills and with 20 digs, Alexis Gray with 29 assists and 11 digs and Rylee Hunt with 24 digs and 12 assists. Taylor Edmonds had a career-high 11 kills and Meghan Higley added 10 assists.

Niagara 3, Tennessee Tech 1
The Purple Eagles (1-2) picked up their first win of the season by downing the Golden Eagles in their final match of the Holiday Inn Classic.

Melissa McGwin led the way for the Purple Eagles with a team-high 14 kills along with a match-best .333 hitting percentage. Gray notched her third straight double-double to start the season with 28 assists and 13 digs, and Hunt led the match with 22 digs.

Niagara won the opening set, 25-21, behind a season-high .321 hitting percentage. After Tennessee Tech tied the match with a second set win, NU grinded out a third set win. Trailing 20-19, a kill by Rayenne Hale started a 6-1 run to close out the set. Niagara closed out the match in the fourth set by finishing the set on a 6-2 run.

Next up for Niagara is the Rose Hill Classic in Bronx, New York from Sept. 4-5. The Purple Eagles will face the host Fordham, Robert Morris and Georgetown.

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All-Tournament Team
Katie Klusman, Wright State
Stephanie Cerino, Evansville
Rylee Hunt, Niagara
Alyssa Povey, Tennessee Tech