Niagara University, N.Y.—The Niagara volleyball team fell in three sets on Sunday as they hosted Rider on Senior Day.
First Set
The first set saw four tied scores along with three lead changes. Niagara took an early 4-1 lead and held the lead until the Broncs fought back to make it 11-11. The teams then tied again at 12,13, and 18 as neither team could build a substantial lead. With the scored tied at 18, the Broncs took seven of the next 11 points to take the opening set win.
Niagara had 11 kills in the opening set with Janiah Robinson leading the way with three. Jenna Vogen, Laryssa Imbuzeiro, and Cassie Seminoff all had two kills while Payton Lee and Lexi Bapst had one kill. Bapst was also credited with a solo block in the set. Kylie Blessing had six assists in the set while Casey Brown had four in the opening set. Bella Peroni had a set high seven digs while Bapst had three in the set.
Second Set
The second set was more back and forth than the first as there were two lead changes along with nine tied scores. Neither team held a lead larger than three throughout the set and the set was tied at 21 after 42 points. Rider took the set 25-23 as they earned four of the last six points in the set.
Niagara hit .311 in the second set as there was just one attack error as Rider had one block. Vogen had seven of Niagara's 15 kills in the second set while Bapst had three kills, both Seminoff and Lee had two kills while Imbuzeiro had a kill. Niagara had four blocks in the set, both Imbuzeiro and Lee had three block assists while Vogen and Megan Bruno each had a block assist. Blessing once again led the way with 10 assists in the set while Brown had four. Peroni once again had a set high seven digs while Bapst had six.
Third Set
The Broncs controlled the third set from the start of the set as they held the lead from start to finish which included opening the set with on a 5-0 run. Niagara made it a 9-4 set but that would be as close as they would get as Rider took the set 25-13 to secure the match win.
Vogen had two of the teams five kills in the set while Bapst, Imbuzeiro, and Liana Tolliver had a kill each. Bapst and Bruno combined for the lone block for Niagara in the set. Blessing had three assists while Brown had two.
Niagara Notes
· Niagara is 10-6 in MAAC play and have secured a spot in the MAAC postseason. The seeding is still to be determined, Niagara currently sits in fourth ahead of Iona and Rider who are both 9-7. Ahead of Niagara is Marist at 11-6, Quinnipiac at 13-3, and Fairfield at 14-2.
· The Purple and White close out the home schedule with an 8-3 record, the eight wins are the most home wins in a season since 2021 when they went 8-1 at home.
· Prior to the match, Niagara honored its senior class, Jenna Vogen, Casey Brown, Lexi Bapst, and Cassie Seminoff appeared in a combined 280 matches and 785 sets entering the match on Sunday.
· Brown had 10 assists in the match and is now three away from 1,000 career assists.
· Three Purple Eagles are in the top 10 in blocking in the MAAC. Imbuzeiro leads the MAAC with 120 total blocks and is averaging 1.48 blocks per set. Robinson is third in the MAAC in blocks per set at 1.04 while having 54 total blocks this season. Vogen is 10th in the MAAC with 0.82 blocks per set.
· Peroni had 19 digs to lead Niagara, she has 310 digs this season which is fourth in the MAAC, her 3.97 digs per set is second in the MAAC. Bapst is sixth in blocks per set at 3.23.
· The Purple Eagles lead the MAAC in blocking as they have 208 blocks this season and average 2.57 block per set.
Up Next
Niagara closes out the regular season next weekend on the road as they take on Manhattan on Saturday and Iona on Sunday. Both matches are scheduled for 1 PM.
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