NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. — Niagara volleyball earned their first win of the season defeating Le Moyne in straight sets 25-19, 25-15, 25-16 Saturday at the Gallagher Center.
The Purple Eagles improved to 1-7, while the Dolphins fell to 0-10.
First set 25-19
The opener was tight early as Le Moyne led at 1-0 and 5-4, and the teams were tied four times in the first 10 points. Kaitlyn Doyle's serve gave Niagara its first cushion, as a Le Moyne ball-handling error and an ace made it 3-1. Niagara went ahead for good at 6-5 on a Kattai kill from Noel Perkins.
Doyle's second ace made it 13-9. Jakayla Brown's block of Nina Salas pushed the lead to 16-11. Le Moyne answered with three straight points to make it 16-14, then pulled within 17-16 on an Alise Evans ace.
Niagara closed on an 8-3 run. Doyle's kill and a Taylor Jenkins solo block made it 19-16. Doyle, Kattai and another Doyle ace produced three straight points for a 23-18 lead. Brown and Kattai combined to block Branwyn Lupton for set point.
Second set 25-15
Niagara never trailed in the second set. The lone tie was at 2-2, and the Purple Eagles pulled ahead again on the next point.
Le Moyne cut it to 6-5 on an Evans kill, and Niagara answered with a 6-0 run. After a Goolsby kill made it 7-5, Kattai served the next five points, including two aces. A Brown kill and two Salas attack errors also fell in that stretch, and Niagara led 12-5.
The lead reached nine at 20-11. Doyle's third kill of the set, from Paisley Ka'ahanui, made it 24-15, and an Eiley Schneider attack error ended it.
Third set 25-16
Le Moyne led at 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3, the only time it led in the set. Niagara tied it at 4-4 on a Jazmin Rodriguez attack error and then went on another 6-0 run. Perkins, who had just checked in, served the next five points. Rodriguez made an attack error, Goolsby had a kill, Goolsby and Brown blocked Rodriguez, Kattai had a kill, and Perkins served an ace for a 9-4 lead. The margin never dipped below four the rest of the way.
Ka'ahanui served two aces in the set, and Kattai had six kills and an ace. A 4-0 run late, capped by a Kattai ace and a Brown kill, made it 23-13. Le Moyne scored three straight to get to 23-16. Goolsby's kill made it 24-16, and she and Jenkins blocked Payton Horan to end the match.
Game Notes
Niagara is now 3-3 all-time against Le Moyne
Kattai led the Purple and White with 13 kills
Doyle and Kattai both recorded three aces which was a career-high for Doyle
Jenkins recorded a season-high four blocks in the win
Ka'ahanui and Perkins led the offense with 17 and 16 assists respectively
Up Next
Niagara opens conference play at home against Fairfield Friday September 25 at 6:00 pm inside the Gallagher Center.
