Friday, September 8	Hartford (0-6)	12:00 PM	Live Stats Live Video
	Central Connecticut State (4-2)	2:30 PM	Live Stats
Saturday, September 9	NJIT (2-4)	2:00 PM	Live Stats

After competing in the Pioneer Classic in Denver last weekend, the Niagara Purple Eagles travel to Hartford, Conn. to partake in the Hartford Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Purple Eagles have two matches on Friday facing the host Hartford on Friday at 12 p.m., followed by Central Connecticut State at 2:30 p.m. On Saturday, they close out their weekend slate against NJIT at 2:00 p.m.
 
Purple Points

• The Purple Eagles finished second place in the Pioneer Classic last week. Niagara defeated Eastern Illinois and was the only team to take a set off of Denver (the host and champion).
• Rylee Hunt and Nicole Matheis were named to the Pioneer Classic All-Tournament Team.  
• Hunt leads the MAAC with 5.52 digs per set.
• Matheis, who has led the team in kills in four straight matches, is averaging a team-best 2.52 kills per set this season. She also leads the team in points (58.0).
• Freshman Jaycie Roberts is second on the team in kills per set (1.90) and digs per set (2.67).

 
Hunt Named MAAC Libero of the Week

• Rylee Hunt earned her third career MAAC Libero of the Week award on Sept. 5.
• Hunt averaged a team-leading 5.20 digs per set in three matches at the Pioneer Classic. Hunt had a match-leading 21 digs in the sweep of Eastern Illinois on Friday.
• Hunt followed with 17 digs and a season-high six assists against Denver, and she led the match with 14 digs against UC Davis on Saturday.
• Hunt, who led the team with four aces, was named to the Pioneer Classic All-Tournament Team.

 
Hunt Among The Nation's Best

• Rylee Hunt ranks in the top-10 in two NCAA active career categories.
• Hunt is third in digs with 1,779 and sixth in digs per set with 4.82

Milestone Watch

• Three Purple Eagles have come into their senior seasons eyeing program records and milestones
• Alexis Gray is 12 aces from tying Kari Honomichl ('12) as the career leader in aces.
• Rylee Hunt is third all-time on the digs list and is 14 behind second (Micole Daluisio)
• Nicole Matheis is now the seventh player in the history of the program to record 1,000 career kills. She now is currently sitting seventh on the all-time list at 1,010, just seven away from tying for sixth (Kelly Cruttenden). 
• Matheis has also crossed the 1,000-dig plateau to become the second Purple Eagle (Hannah Hedrick) with over 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.

Across The Net
Hartford Hawks (0-6, 0-0 AEC)

• The host team has gotten off to a slow start this season, still searching for its first win of the season after participating in the Army Invitational in West Point, N.Y. and the UConn Tournament in Storrs, Conn.
• Leaders: Abby Nash (2.15 kills per set), Astrid Mangual Duran (4.78 assists per set), Nicole Etta (3.18 digs per set), Alyse Wenzel (0.88 blocks per set)
• Hartford and Niagara have split their all time record against each other, 2-2. They last squared off last season in the Dartmouth Invitational, where Hartford walked away victorious after sets.
   

Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (4-2, 0-0 NEC)

• Central Connecticut State is coming off a successful performance in the Crosstown Tournament in Easton and Bethlehem, Pa., where they were victorious against all three of their opponents in Lafayette, Lehigh and Norfolk State.
• Leaders: Raquel Quirarte (2.94 kps), Kaitlyn Kushman (5.5 aps), Lindsey Massicotte (4.7 dps), Maddie Smith (1.13 bps)
• The Blue Devils lead the all time against the Purple Eagles, 5-1. Their most recent matchup also came during last season's Dartmouth Invitational, with the Blue Devils winning in four sets.  

 
NJIT Highlanders (2-4, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)

• The Highlanders have started the season playing in the Bucknell Tournament in Lewisburg, Pa. and the Terrier Classic, picking up a win in each tournament against Saint Peter's and Saint Francis Brooklyn, respectively.
• Leaders: Iva Mandic (2.96 kps), Emily Krachenfels (7.33 aps), Adriana Nieto (3.46 digs per set), (1.0 block per set)
• This will be the first meeting in the history of the two programs.

 
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