Buffalo, N.Y.—The Niagara volleyball team traveled to downtown Buffalo to take on Battle of the Bridge rival Canisius. Niagara took the first Battle of the Bridge point of the 2023-24 academic year as they defeated the Griffs in four sets.
First Set
The Purple Eagles took the opening set that saw three lead changes and the score being tied 10 times. Canisius opened the set and took a 7-4 lead at the start and held a lead until Niagara tied the set at 13 on a kill by Janiah Robinson. The Purple Eagles took the lead on the next point as Robinson and Kinga Wronska teamed up for a block. Following the media timeout, Canisius went on a 5-1 run to take an 18-17 lead. Niagara worked the set to a 20-20 tie following a timeout. The teams continued to trade points late in the set. With the scored tied at 23, Jenna Vogen notched a kill to make it 24-23. On set point, Robinson and Liana Tolliver had a block to win the opening set.
Niagara had 13 kills in the opening set as six different Purple Eagles were credited with a kill. Cassie Seminoff had a set high five kills while Vogen had three in the set. Four different Purple Eagles had an assist as Kylie Blessing led the way with six in the set. Casey Brown had two assists in the opening set. The Purple Eagles notched five blocks in the set with Robinson having three assists, while Laryssa Imbuzeiro, Vogen, and Wronska each had two block assists. Tolliver was also credited with one block assist.
Second Set
The Griffs opened the set with a 5-1 lead. Niagara then fought back and used a 6-2 run to tie the set at seven. Both teams then went on mini runs as the lead continued to trade points and the lead. The set was tied 14 different times with the lead changing hands nine times in the set. The Western New York rivals were tied at 20 as neither team could build a lead. Canisius took a 24-22 lead and had set points. After Canisius was issued a sanction, to make it 24-23, Vogen tied the set at 24 with a kill. Laryssa Imbuzeiro finished the set with a kill to give Niagara a 2-0 match lead.
In the second set, Niagara once again used six different players for kills as they had 14 as a team. Vogen led the way with six kills in the set while Seminoff, Imbuzeiro, and Robinson all had two kills in the set. Niagara had three blocks, Imbuzeiro had one solo block while Blessing, Tolliver, Robinson, and Vogen all had one block assist. Peroni had a team high seven digs as seven different Purple Eagles accounted for 21 digs as a team.
Third Set
The third set was more one sided than the previous two sets as there was just one lead change and the scored was tied just once as Canisius took the 25-19 win in the set. The Griffs took the early lead in the set after Niagara took a 1-0 lead, the Griffs would not trail the rest of the set. The set was tied at 15 and 16 but then the Griffs took lead and closed out the set.
Niagara finished the third set with just seven kills as Lexi Bapst led the way with three kills, Seminoff had two while Payton Lee and Vogen each had one. The Purple and While notched six blocks in the set. Vogen had one solo block along with three block assists. Imbuzeiro and Robinson each had two block assists while Paisely Ka'ahanui, Tolliver, and Seminoff each had a block assist.
Fourth Set
The fourth set was all Niagara as they jumped out to a 10-6 lead. Canisius attempted to stop the run as they called a timeout. Following the timeout, Niagara expanded its lead to 15-8 which was followed by the Griffs second timeout of the set. Niagara finished the set with an eight point advantage to take the fourth set 25-18.
Niagara closed out the match with 10 kills in the fourth set, Seminoff had three kills while Bapst, Imbuzeirom and Vogen each had two kills. Ka'ahanui had a team high five assists while blessing had four assists. The Purple Eagles had four blocks in the set as Imbuzeiro had two solo blocks and two block assists. Bapst and Vogen both also had a block assist.
Niagara Notes
· It was the 112th matchup between Niagara and Canisius, it is the 52nd win for Niagara.
· Niagara defeated Canisius on the road for the first time Nov. 7, 2019. Niagara looks for their first regular season sweep for the first time since 2016.
· Both Seminoff and Robinson had 12 kills in the match, it is a new career high for Robinson. Seminoff now has had double digit kills in three straight matches.
· Niagara had 18 blocks in the match which breaks its season high of 15 that was set against Manhattan on Sept. 24. It is the first time since 2019 that Niagara has tallied 15 or more blocks in two separate matches in a season.
Up Next
Niagara looks for the season sweep as they face Canisius on Sunday at the Gallagher Center starting at 1 PM.
