NIAGARA UNIVERISTY, NY – The Niagara women's volleyball team was edged by Iona Sunday afternoon in a five-set affair (25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 14-25, 14-16) at the Hynes Center. The Purple Eagles fall to 4-12 overall and 2-4 in MAAC play, while Iona improves to 10-6 overall and 5-1 in league play.
 
Match Recap
First Set
• Niagara got on the board first following a service error by the Gaels.
• The Purple Eagles would score three-straight to take a 5-3 lead over Iona.
• Laryssa Imbuzeiro, highlighted the run with a kill.
• The Gaels would tie up the contest at 9-9 after a 4-1 run.
• The Iona run would grow to 6-2 and a 12-10 lead for the Gaels.
• Iona would score five-straight to take a 17-11 lead over Niagara.
• Niagara would take three of the next five points, with kills from Jenna Vogen and Kinga Wronska.
• Kylie Blessing would score the first point after an NU timeout to make the score 21-15 in favor of the Gaels.
• Vogen would get two-straight kills and a service ace to make the score 22-18.
• Niagara would get within two, 22-20, after a kill from Kelly McArthur, forcing Iona to call timeout.
• Senior Taylor Allen and Wronska would tie the game at 22 with back-to-back kills, before NU would take a 23-22 lead on an error by Iona.
• Niagara would con on to take the set, 25-22, erasing a seven-point deficit.
 
Second Set
• Imbuzeiro gave Niagara a 5-4 lead with a block early in the second set.
• The Purple Eagle lead would grow to 11-8 after a 6-4 swing that saw kills from McArthur, Blessing, and Vogen.
• Wronska would get a kill and Blessing would follow it up with an ace to give the Purple and White a 14-10 advantage.
• Vogen's fifth kill of the contest gave Niagara a 17-13 lead over Iona.
• Iona would take three-straight points to pull within one, 17-16, forcing Niagara to call a timeout.
• The Gael run would grow to 5-0, giving Iona a 18-17 lead.
• After Niagara tied it at 18, the Gaels would take the next three points to make it a 21-18 contest.
• Vogen and Allen would each record a kill to make it a two-point contest, 22-20.
• Iona would go on to take the set, 25-21.
 
Third Set
• Niagara took an 8-4 lead on the heels of a early 4-0 spurt in which Vogen recorded a kill.
• The Purple Eagles would call timeout down 13-12.
• A 7-1 run would give the Purple Eagles a 19-15 lead.
• During the run, Wronska recorded two aces and a kill, while Vogen, Allie Simpson and Imbuzeiro also recorded kills.
• The Puprle Eagle lead would reach 23-18 before Iona called timeout. Allen, McArthur and Simpson helped NU get there with one kill a piece.
• Wronska would record the set's final kill, giving NU a 2-1 lead over Iona.
 
Fourth Set
• Iona took an early 5-1 lead in the fourth set.
• The Gael lead would grow to 7-1, forcing Niagara to call an early timeout.
• Niagara would pull within eight, 14-6, after an Iona attack error by Iona.
• The Iona lead would be trimmed to five, 15-10, with two kills from Lexi Bapst.
• Iona would go on to take the set, 25-14.
 
Fifth Set
• Niagara took an early 6-3 lead in the final set, highlighted by kills from Allen and Wronska.
• The Purple and White would take four of the next six points to go up 10-6.
• From there Iona would work to tie the set at 14-14.
• The Gaels would take the set, 16-14, and the match, 3-2.  
 
Niagara Notes
• Niagara falls to 22-18 all-time against Iona.
• Sunday marked the first time this season that Niagara played five sets.
• Jenna Vogen posted a team-high and carrer-best 28 digs, while also adding 12 kills.
• Wronska led the Purple Eagles 14 kills and 17 points with a .238n hitting percentage. The freshman also collected 22 digs and two aces.
• Casey Brown led NU with another 20-plus assist performance, finishing the five-set affair with 24.
• Niagara finished the game with 53 kills, four short of its single season high of 57 set at Penn.
• The Purple Eagles made a season-high 99 digs.
 
Up Next
• Niagara returns to the Gallagher Center for a pair of home matches. The Purple Eagles will take on Rider, Saturday, Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. followed by Saint Peter's on Oct. 9 at noon.
 
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