QUEENS, N.Y. – Niagara (1-2, 0-0 MAAC) split its two matches Saturday at the Red Storm Invitational in Queens, N.Y., defeating Central Connecticut State before falling to Northeastern in the nightcap.
 
How it Happened: Niagara vs. Central Connecticut State
The Purple Eagles defeated the Blue Devils in straight sets, 25-18, 28-26, and 25-21, to secure their first win of 2024.
 
The opening set started with Niagara jumping out to a 9-1 lead over Central Connecticut State as Laryssa Imbuzeiro, Payton Lee, and Victoria Latino recorded a pair of kills apiece and Liana Tolliver capped off the run with a service ace.
 
Following a CCSU timeout with the Purple and White ahead by 10, 17-7, the Blue Devils would mount a 14-4 run to pull within three, 22-19, however Niagara would kills from Janiah Robinson and Kinga Wronska to get to set point. Robinson would block the CCSU attack to secure the opening set for NU.
 
The second set was a back-and-forth affair between the Purple Eagles and Blue Devils, with neither team taking more than a four-point advantage. Niagara, who trailed 7-3 early on in the set, would eventually take a 14-11 lead, its largest lead of the set. NU would go on to win the set 28-26 as Imbuzeiro and Sydney Wilkes recorded the block assist on set point.
 
The Blue Devils would take the first four points of the third and final set of the match, however, Niagara would go on a 7-1 run to take a 7-5 lead which featured kills from Liana Tolliver, Latino, Imbuzeiro, and Wronska.  
 
Niagara took a 16-10 lead later in the set, but the Blue Devils wouldn't go quietly as they made it a two-point contest, 19-17, following a 7-3 run. Niagara wouldn't allow CCSU to get any closer as they took six of the final 10 points of the set to secure the match.
 
Niagara Notes
• Saturday's match between Central Connecticut and Niagara was the third all-time and first since 2017. Niagara improves to 2-1 all-time against the Blue Devils.
• Imbuzeiro led the Purple Eagles with 11 kills and hitting percentage of .786. The senior also had a team-best two blocks.
• Blessing led NU with 22 assists, her fifth career match with 20 or more assists.
• Bella Peroni led the Purple and White with 27 digs.
• Tolliver finished with seven kills and 10 digs.
• Lee notched seven kills and three digs.
 
How it Happened: Niagara vs. Northeastern
Niagara and Northeastern split the first two sets by the same score, 25-22.
 
The first set saw the Purple and White fall into an early hole and pulled within two 15-13 on a kill by Imbuzeiro. Later on in the set, Niagara made it a one-point contest, 23-22, however, Northeastern would take the final two points to take the opening set from NU.
The second set saw Niagara run out to an 8-3 lead before Northeastern drew within one, 10-9. From there, the Purple and White would take a 15-11 advantage, forcing the Huskies to take a timeout. Northeastern would take another timeout as Niagara took a 23-18 lead over the Huskies.
 
Following the timeout, Niagara would stave off a late push by the Huskies to earn a 25-22 set victory.
 
Northeastern took a 5-0 lead before a 6-0 run by NU gave the Purple Eagles their first lead of the set. The two teams would trade points for the remainder of the set, with neither squad taking more than a two-point lead, and with the game notched at 23-23, the Huskies would take the final two points to win the set.
 
The fourth set started in Niagara's favor as the Purple and White as they took a 10-4 lead over the Huskies. However, the remainder of the set would be all Northeastern as it outscored Niagara 19-5 to earn the three sets to one victory.
 
Niagara Notes
• Saturday's match was the first between Niagara and Northeastern.
• Wronska led Niagara with 12 kills, followed by Imbuzeiro with nine, and Tolliver with eight.
• Peroni recorded a team-best 31 digs, a career-high for the senior.
• Noel Perkins recorded a team-high 18 assists.
• Lee finished with a team-best three blocks, followed by Imbuzeiro with two.      
 
Up Next
Niagara travels to Pittsburgh, Pa., for the Chick-fil-a Robinson Tournament where they will take on Duquesne, Robert Morris and Coppin State.