SCORE: Niagara 3, Marist 1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-23, 25-15)
RECORDS: Niagara (17-8, 13-3 MAAC), Marist (13-14, 10-6 MAAC)
 
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Niagara University volleyball team secured a first-round bye in the MAAC Tournament with a four-set win over the Marist Red Foxes on Sunday.
 
Match Summary
The Purple Eagles used their defense to power a run in the opening set.  Jada Carrol and Draik Banks combined for consecutive blocks to help build a 16-13 lead.  NU ended the set with back-to-back blocks with Banks providing one solo and assisted with Caroline Leitch for a 25-16 win.
 
NU trailed 24-21 in the second set when the Purple Eagles scored three straight points to tie the set at 24-24. The Purple Eagles tied the set at 25-25 before the Red Foxes scored two straight points to win the set and tie the match at 1-1.
 
Nicole Matheis recorded three kills as Niagara built a 5-1 lead to start the third set. After Marist went ahead at 10-9, the Purple Eagles answered with an 8-1 run including scoring six straight points. The Red Foxes went on a 5-0 spurt to cut Niagara's lead to 24-23, but a kill by Jaycie Roberts wrapped up the set.
 
NU sprinted to an 8-1 lead to open the fourth set and never looked back as the Purple Eagles last the McCann Center with win for the first time since 2012.
 
 
Eagle's Eye On…

• Five Purple Ealges – Jacyie Roberts, Nicole Matheis, Caroline Leitch, Grace Hetterscheidt, and Draik Banks – were in double figures in points.
• Three Purple Eagles – Rylee Hunt, Jaycie Roberts and Nicole Matheis- had duble-doubles
• Rylee Hunt had a match-high 31 digs for her seventh 30-plus dig match of the season. She added 11 assists for her second double-double of the season.
• Jaycie Roberts tied a career-high with 20 digs and added 13 kills for her seventh double-double of the season.
• Nicole Matheis had 12 kills and 17 digs for her 10^th double-double of the season.
• Draik Banks a career-high nine block assists and one solo block.  
• Caroline Leitch had 10 kills on a team-best .300 hitting percentage and a season-high five block assists.
• Alexis Gray had a team-high 23 assists.
• Rachel Hall added 13 assists.

 

Inside The Numbers

• Niagara has clinched a first round bye in the 2017 MAAC Tournament and will play on Nov. 18. NU will be either the No. 1 or 2 seed. The Purple Eagles will need to win their last two matches and for Fairfield (20-6, 15-0 MAAC) to lose its last three matches for a share of the regular-season title; NU plays Fairfield on Nov. 11.
• Rylee Hunt has set a new season-high in digs with 583, which are fourth most in program history.
• Niagara's 12 blocks are tied for the most this season. NU had 12 blocks against Fairfield on Oct. 1 and Marist on Set. 23.).
• Niagara's 17 wins and 13 MAAC wins are its most in six seasons.
• The Purple Eagles swept the season series with Marist for the first time since 2012.

 

Coach's Corner

• "It seemed like a lot of things came together for us in this match. The blocking keyed a lot of success, and then our offence transitioning from the defense was outstanding. The outsides, Jaycie, and Nicole played superbly. Caroline had one of her best matches of the year. The defense was stifling between Rylee's digging and Carol and Draik's blocking." – head coach Vilis Ozols

 

Up Next

• The Purple Eagles will finish their regular season against Fairfield (Nov. 11) and Quinnipiac (Nov. 12).

 
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