MAAC Championships
SCORE	No. 4 Marist 3- No. 5 Niagara 0 (25-23, 25-11, 25-22)
RECORDS	Marist (15-14, 12-6 MAC) – Niagara (13-16, 12-6 MAAC)
LOCATION	George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall

 
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The No. 5 Purple Eagles fell to the No. 5 Marist Red Foxes, 3-0, in the first round of the MAAC Championships on Friday.

Match Summary
First Set

• The first set went back and forth between the Purple Eagles and the Red Foxes. The score was tied 13 times over the course of the set.
• With the Red Foxes up by two points, 10-8, Niagara went on a 6-0 run, including a kill from Cameron Maris and two block assists from both Maris and Mary Redl, to take a 14-10 lead.
• The Purple Eagles were ahead, 15-12, but Marist came back to tie things up at 15 points apiece.
• Niagara and Marist traded points and, with the Red Foxes up by two, 21-19, back-to-back kills from Caroline Leitch tied the score once again, 21-21.
• The Red Foxes got ahead by two again, 23-21, but kills from Leitch and Jaycie Roberts evened the score, 23-23. Marist, however, scored the final two points, taking set one narrowly, 25-23.

Second Set

• The Purple Eagles and the Red Foxes kept things close to begin the second set, with the score tied 4-4 early, bur Marist quickly pulled away, going on a 4-0 run to take an 8-4 lead.
• A kill from Leitch and a block by Leitch and Taylor Allen left NU trailing by just five points, 14-9, but Marist dominated the rest of the set, allowing the Purple Eagles only two more points.

Third Set

• The Purple Eagles jumped out to a quick lead in the third set, with two kills from Roberts and one from Leitch helping NU get ahead, 9-3.
• After a kill from Grace Hetterscheidt, Niagara led, 12-8, but Marist scored three straight points to come within one point of NU's lead, 12-11.
• The Purple Eagles answered with a 3-0 run of their own to extend their lead, 15-11.
• Kills from Leitch and Maris helped Niagara to a 17-14 lead, but Marist gained momentum, going on a 6-0 run to claim the lead, 20-17.
• Despite Niagara coming back within one point of Marist multiple times, the Red Foxes held onto the lead, winning the set 25-23 to sweep the match.

Eagle's Eye On…

• Roberts was just short of a double-double with nine kills and a team-high 10 digs. Roberts finished the season with a team-high 18 double-doubles.
• Leitch also added nine kills to finish her career with 1,038 kills, which is the sixth-most in Niagara volleyball history.
• Jessica Streuer led Niagara in assists with 26.
• Cameron Maris led the Purple Eagles in blocking with five total blocks.
• Emillie Wright added nine digs and Hetterscheidt had five kills.

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