NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – The Purple Eagles soared to a 3-0 (25-21, 25-13, 28-26) win over visiting Rider Saturday afternoon to improve to 5-12 overall and 3-4 in MAAC play.
 
Match Recap
First Set
• The Purple Eagles found themselves in an early 2-0 hole before scoring three-straight points to take a 3-2 lead. The 3-0 run for NU was capped off by a Jenna Vogen service ace.
• After Rider tied the set at three, Niagara again rolled off three straight points to take a 6-3 lead.
• From there, the Broncs would go on a 10-3 run to take a 13-9 set lead over NU.
• Four-straight points from the Purple Eagles made it a 13-13 game. The spurt was highlighted by kills from Taylor Allen and Vogen, as well as an ace from Casey Brown.
• With the score tied at 18-18, Niagara would take control with a 6-3 run to win the set. Kylie Blessing secured set point for Niagara.
 
Second Set
• The Broncs would pull within one, 8-7, after an Niagara attack error.
• The Purple and White wouldn't let Rider get any closer as it took the next seven points to take a 15-7 lead.
• Laryssa Imbuzeiro recorded two kills during the run, followed by Kinga Wronska with one.
• With the score 16-11 in favor of NU, the Purple Eagles would go on another long run, scoring eight unanswered to get to set point, 24-11.
• Vogen accounted for two kills, while Imbuzeiro and Allie Simpson collected one apiece during the outburst. Wronska also recorded an ace to help NU get within one of taking the second set.
• After allowing two points to the Broncs, Vogen clinched the set for Niagara with her fourth kill of the set.  
 
Third Set
• The Broncs took the first two points of the set, before Niagara came back to tie things at two apiece.
• Rider would then double up NU, 6-3 after a brief 3-1 run.
• The Broncs lead would grow to 11-5 before Blessing registered a kill to end the Rider rally.
• The Purple Eagles would then go on a 9-4 run of their own to pull within one, 15-14. Vogen recorded three-straight kills to highlight the run for NU.
•  Rider would rattle off five straight points to take a 21-14 lead.
• Niagara would get back within two, 21-19, following a few Rider errors and a kill by Wronska.
• After the Broncs got within two points of taking the set, the Purple Eagles exploded for four-straight to tie the set at 23-23.
• The Purple and White would outscore the Broncs 5-3 to take the set and the match, 28-26.
 
Niagara Notes
• Niagara improves to 20-14 against the Broncs dating back to 2003, including wins in three of the last five meetings.
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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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