Loudonville, N.Y.—The Niagara volleyball team earned a three-set win on the road as they defeated the Siena Saints in straight sets on Sunday afternoon.
First Set
Siena notched the first point of the opening set but that would be the only lead the Saints would hold in the first set. There would be five ties in the set but Niagara would not trail the rest of the set. The set was tied at eight after 16 points, but the Purple Eagles soon pulled away from the Saint and took the first set 25-17.
The Purple Eagles spread the offense around in the first set as four Purple Eagles had kills with Lexi Bapst having four, Jenna Vogen and Cassie Seminoff had three each and Payton Lee added one kill. Katie Jacobs started at Libero for the Purple Eagles, she had two assists along with one dig and a team high eight receptions. Niagara had two blocks in the set, Laryssa Imbuzeiro teamed up with Bapst and Lee for a block in the set.
Second Set
Niagara never trailed in the second set as there were just four ties. The last tie came after 12 points in the set as the teams were tied at six. Following the tie, Niagara once again pulled away from the Saints and took the 25-18 win in the second set.
Six different Purple Eagles had a kill in the second set which included a team high three from Imbuzeiro, Vogen, Seminoff, and Bapst all had two kills in the set. Kylie Blessing had a team high six assists while Casey Brown had four assists. Blessing had four digs to lead the team while Vogen, Imbuzeiro, Bapst, and Seminoff all had two digs. Jacobs once again led the team with 12 receptions.
Third Set
Siena took the early lead in the set but that would be the lone lead they held in the set as Niagara worked the set to a 4-4 tie. Niagara then went on an 8-1 run to take a 12-5 lead in the opening set. Niagara allowed just four more points the rest of the set as they went on a 13-4 run to take the final set 25-9.
Lee led the team with five kills in the third set as six Purple Eagles had kills in the set. Seminoff was second on the team with four kills as Janiah Robinson, Vogen, Imbuzeiro, and Bapst all had one kill in the set. Niagara had four blocks in the set as Robinson and Imbuzeiro each had one solo block, Imbuzeiro had two block assists while Vogen and Lee both had block assists. Brown had a set high nine assists while Blessing also had one.
Niagara Notes
· Niagara had a .265 hitting percentage in the win, it was the sixth time this season that Niagara hit over .250, in those six matches the Purple Eagles are 6-0.
· Lee had seven kills on eight attempts for a .875 hitting percentage which is a new career best.
· Every Niagara player that had a kill had a positive hitting percentage. Niagara had had just nine attack errors.
· Imbuzeiro had six total blocks, this season she has 111 which is a new career high. She leads the MAAC in blocks and blocks per set while she entered the weekend 10th in the country in blocks per set.
· Niagara had 51 digs in the match while Blessing and Seminoff had 13 digs each. Blessing has four double digit dig matches this season while Seminoff has six this season.
· Niagara is 9-5 in MAAC play this season and sit in fourth place in the MAAC. They have a one game lead on Iona who sits in fifth and Niagara has three more wins than Rider and Canisius who are tied for the sixth and final spot in the MAAC Postseason.
Up Next
Niagara returns home for their final home weekend of the season. On Saturday, they host Saint Peter's before hosting Rider on Sunday for senior day. Both matches are scheduled for 1 PM.
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