LOS ANGELES – The Niagara Purple Eagles concluded play in the LMU Invitational on Saturday where they faced the host No. 21 Loyola Marymount and the Illinois State Redbirds.
Score: Niagara 1, No. 21 Loyola Marymount 3 (27-29, 25-20, 25-14, 25-17)
Location: Gersten Pavilion (Los Angeles, California)
Tournament: LMU Invitational
Records: Niagara (0-2), LMU (2-0)
Match Summary
- The Purple Eagles won the opening set, 29-27, before the 21st-ranked Lions reeled off three straight set wins.
- NU outlasted LMU in the first set that had nine ties. Niagara jumped out to a 6-3, before LMU tied the set at 9-9. A 7-0 run by the Lions gave the host a commanding lead; however the Purple Eagles stormed back into the set and eventually tied it at 20-20.
- The score would tie seven more times, but a service and attacking error by LMU handed NU the first set.
- NU held an 11-8 advantage in the second set before LMU rallied to take an 18-17 lead on their way to winning the set.
- LMU pulled away midway through the third and fourth sets
Purple Points
- Niagara's opening set win was the first-ever set win against a ranked opponent in program history.
- Caroline Leitch and Nicole Matheis shared team-high honors with seven kills; Madison May had six kills and seven digs.
- Alexis Gray recorded Niagara's first double-double of the season; she had a team-high 22 assists and added 10 digs.
- Rylee Hunt led the team with 14 digs.
- Niagara held a 10-4 advantage in blocks.
- All 14 Purple Eagles played in the match.
Coach's Corner
- "The match against LMU was both very satisfying and frustrating for the team at the same time. When we were in rhythm on our side of the court, we showed that we can play with virtually any team in the nation. The frustrating part was our inability to sustain that for the full game, but that's not unusual for an early-season match and for where we are as a team. The future looks really bright and today we saw a glimpse of that." - Head Coach Vilis Ozols
Score: Niagara 0, Illinois State 3 (25-10, 25-21, 25-11)
Location: Gersten Pavilion (Los Angeles, California)
Tournament: LMU Invitational
Records: Niagara (0-3), Illinois State (1-2)
Match Summary
- Niagara concluded play at the LMU Invitational with a straight set defeat to the Illinois State Redbirds.
- A slow offensive start to the match by the Purple Eagles saw them trail 10-3 after 13 points on their way to dropping the first set.
- The second set was tight throughout with nine ties and two lead changes. NU tied the set at 18-18 and later trailed 22-21, but the Redbirds scored the final three points to take set two, 25-21.
- NU faced an 8-7 deficit in the third set until Illinois State reeled off an 8-2 run en route to wrapping up the match.
Purple Points
Coach's Corner
- "Today's match was the culmination of a three-game weekend and it showed. We weren't as crisp as we had been in the previous matches. We had a couple of breakdowns in key skill areas and ISU took advantage of those. Once again we had glimpses of great NU volleyball, and then also, some points to focus our development on." – Head Coach Vilis Ozols
Up Next
- The Purple Eagles wrap up their California trip with a match against Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 10 pm ET.
