Hamden, CT—The Niagara volleyball team opened MAAC play on Saturday afternoon as they visited the Quinnipiac Bobcats. After starting the match with the lead, Niagara fell in straight sets to the Bobcats.

First Set

The Purple Eagles opened the first set with a 7-3 lead through the first 10 points. Quinnipiac responded and the set was tied at 11 after 22 points. They then opened a 21-13 lead and closed the set with a 25-18 set win.

Lexi Bapst picked up where she left off last weekend and had five kills in the first set, she also had 14 receptions along with three digs. Kinga Wronska had three kills in the first set while having two digs. Paisley Ka'ahanui had a team high five assists in the first set while Kylie Blessing had four and Bella Peroni had two. Wronska and Laryssa Imbuzeiro each had an ace in the set, Imbuzeiro also had a solo block in the opening set.

Second Set

In the second set it was Quinnipiac that jumped out to a 3-1 lead, the Purple Eagles fought back and tied the set at eight. Both teams traded points throughout the set and the teams were tied at 17, 21, 22, 23, and 24 in the late stages of the set. With the score tied at 24, Quinnipiac tallied the next two points to take the second set. The score was tied 11 different times in the set while the lead changed six times in the set.

Six different players had kills in the set including Cassie Seminoff who had a team high three. Blessing and Wronska each had two kills while Bapst, Imbuzeiro, and Megan Bruno each had one kill. Ka'hanui had six of the team's eight assists in the set. Peroni had a team high nine digs in the set with Wronska tallying six digs. Niagara had four blocks in the sets with Imbuzeiro having two solo blocks and Seminoff having one, the two also combined for a block as well.

Third Set

Quinnipiac took a quick lead in the third set as they led 10-3 to start the set. They continued to build their lead throughout the set and did not allow the Purple Eagles to gain momentum in the third set. Quinnipiac took the third set 25-14.

Bapst had a team high five kills while Seminoff and Bruno each had two kills. Wronska and Jenna Vogen each had one kill in the set as well. Casey Brown had five assists while Ka'ahanui had four.

Niagara Notes

·       The Purple Eagles fall to 17-6 all-time against Quinnipiac.

·       Bapst had a team high 11 kills along with eight digs in the match. She is averaging 2.67 kills per set which is the best on the Purple Eagles. She is eighth in the MAAC in kills per set. It was her fourth straight match with 10 or more kills.

·       Ka'ahanui once again led the Purple Eagles in assists as she had 15 in her first MAAC action. She also faced her sister Chloe who is a senior at Quinnipiac, Chloe did not appear in the match for the Bobcats.

·       Seven Purple Eagles had at least one kill while seven Purple Eagles also had digs.

·       In the match there were 15 times in which the score was tied along with eight lead changes.

Up Next

Niagara closes out the trip to Connecticut on Sunday at 1 PM as they face Fairfield.

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