SCORE: Niagara 3, Siena 2 (24-26, 19-25, 25-20, 25-18, 15-13)
RECORDS: Niagara (16-8, 12-3 MAAC), Siena (5-20, 5-9 MAAC)

LOUDONVILLE., N.Y. – Trailing by two sets, the Niagara Purple Eagles came back to take the last three sets to pull out a dramatic victory on the road against the Siena Saints on Saturday.
 
Match Summary

The Purple Eagles found themselves trailing early in the first set by a set-high four points, 13-9. Niagara tied the set shortly after, 16-16, but the Saints went on a 6-2 run to take another four-point lead, 22-18. While Niagara won the next three points and came back to tie the score at 24 apiece, Siena was able to win the final two points and take the first set. In the second set, the Purple Eagles led 9-7 early before the Saints scored 11 of the next 15 points en route to a 25-19 win.  
 
Niagara started the third set in control, jumping out a 10-3 lead. Siena, though, went on an 8-0 run and the teams began answering each other. With the Purple Eagles up 18-16, Siena made one more push by winning three straight points to reclaim the lead, 19-18. After that, the Purple Eagles were in the driver's seat, winning seven of the last eight points to take the third set, 25-20.
 
To open the fourth set, in a set that neither team was able to pull more than three points away from the other, eventually resulting in Siena holding a one-point lead at 14-13. Niagara answered back by taking three straight points to take a lead NU would not relinquish. Leading by a score of 19-17, the Purple Eagles finished the fourth set similar to the previous one, winning six of the last seven points to pull away with a set victory and force a fifth and final set.
 
Siena led 6-3 to start the final set, before Niagara went on a 4-0 run with Nicole Matheis providing three kills. With the scored tied at 11-11, a kill by Draik Banks and an aces by Jaycie Roberts gave NU a two-point lead. Niagara won the match on a kill by Grace Hetterscheidt.
 
Eagle's Eye On…

• Nicole Matheis had a match-high 18 kills and 11 digs for her team-leading ninth double-double of the season.
• Alexis Gray had a season-high 36 assists and 10 digs for her sixth double-double of the season. Gray has moved into second place on the career assists list. The career aces leader also added a team-best four aces.
• Rylee Hunt recorded 32 digs, her most in a match since Oct. 12 vs. Canisius, where she also had 32 digs.
• Grace Hetterscheidt and Draik Banks both finished with nine kills.
• Jaycie Roberts had 12 digs to go along with her six kills.

 
Inside The Numbers

• The win marked Niagara's first win at Siena since the 2011 season.
• Niagara's victory also marks the first time since the home-and-home series started in 2006 that the Purple Eagles swept the Saints in a season. 
• The Purple Eagles' 16 wins are the most since 2011 and their 11-3 conference start is the best since 2012.
• Niagara is one win away from clinching  a top two seed in the MAAC Tournament.

 
Coach's Corner

• "That match was a prime example of how hard it is to win on the road. Siena has been really coming on towards the end of the season and we knew we were going to have to battle. There are so many accolades to go around. Alexis played great, Nicole, Grace and Draik put up some awesome attacking numbers. Of course Rylee was her usual self; which is just plain amazing!" – head coach Vilis Ozols

 
Up Next

• The Purple Eagles close out the weekend at the Marist Red Foxes starting at 1 p.m.

 
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