MAAC CHAMPIONSHIPS - QUARTERFINALS
SCORE	Niagara 3 – Iona 0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-23)
RECORDS	Niagara (5-3, 4-3 MAAC) – Iona (3-8, 3-7 MAAC)
LOCATION	Albany Capital Center

 
ALBANY, N.Y. – The Purple Eagles defeated Iona in straight sets on Thursday to advance to the semifinals of the MAAC Championships for the first time since 2015.

Match Recap
1^st Set

• Niagara opened the first set on a 6-2 run, which included three kills from Jaycie Roberts and one from Cassie Seminoff.
• The Gaels came within two points of the Purple Eagles, 7-5, but Niagara scored four straight points, including two more kills from Seminoff, to extend its lead, 11-5.
• The Purple Eagles led, 16-11, when they went on a 5-0 run, capped by a kill from Allie Simpson, to give them a 10-point lead, 21-11.
• Iona scored four straight to cut the Niagara lead to six, 21-15, but the Purple Eagles remained in control, earning the set point on a service ace from Alexandra Leitner.

2^nd Set

• The Purple Eagles opened the second set strong, going on a 6-1 run, which included kills from Amanda Darling, Lexi Bapst and Taylor Allen.
• Back-to-back kills from Mary Redl and Allen gave Niagara a six-point lead, 8-2.
• The Gaels earned three straight points to come within three points of the Purple Eagles, 8-5, but kills from Redl and Bapst kept Niagara ahead by five, 10-5.
• With the Purple Eagles still ahead by five, 11-6, the Gaels scored three points to come within two points of the lead, 11-9. Niagara, however, scored on kills from Roberts and Allen to extend its lead to four points, 13-9.
• The Purple Eagles soon went on a 6-0 run, which included two more kills from Redl and one each from Seminoff and Allen, to give them a 20-11 lead over the Gaels.
• With the Purple Eagles ahead, 23-14, Iona scored four straight points to come within five points of NU, 23-18, but kills from Roberts and Savannah Brownfield closed out the set to give Niagara a 2-0 match lead.

3^rd Set

• The Purple Eagles had an early 6-4 lead over the Gaels, but the Gaels quickly tied things up, 6-6.
• Kills from Simpson and Casey Brown put Niagara back on top, 8-6, but the Gaels once again tied the score, 8-8.
• The Gaels scored two points to take the lead, 10-9, but Niagara answered with two points of its own to get ahead by one point, 11-10.
• Iona tied the score again, 11-11, but Niagara earned four straight points, including two kills from Redl and one more Roberts, to take its biggest lead of the set, 15-11.
• The Purple Eagles extended their lead to five points, 17-12, but the Gaels scored two points to get back within three points of Niagara, 17-14.
• Iona soon went on a 3-0 run and trailed the Purple Eagles by just one point, 19-18, and the score was soon tied once again, 20-20.
• The Purple Eagles and the Gaels were quickly tied again at 21 points apiece before a kill from Redl put NU ahead by one, 22-21.
• Iona took a one-point lead, 23-22, but Niagara scored three straight points to close out the set, capped by kills from Redl and Roberts, to earn the 3-0 victory over the Gaels.

Eagle's Eye On

• Roberts recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 13 digs and a team-high 11 kills.
• Darling led the Purple Eagles in digs with 30.
• Jessica Streuer had a team-best 16 assists and also added 13 digs.
• Brown and Seminoff each added 15 digs and Redl had 10 kills.
• Allen recorded a team-high three total blocks.

Up Next

• The Purple Eagles will face No. 2 Canisius in the semifinals on Friday, April 2 at 4:00 p.m. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.

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