After playing its first 11 matches away from home, the Niagara University volleyball team heads home to face off against crosstown rival, the University at Buffalo, for its home opener.
Junior college transfer outside hitter Madison May continues her team-leading pace on the attack with a team-best 2.76 kills per set. May has led the team in kills in seven matches this season. Two other Purple Eagles are averaging at least 2 kills per set – junior Nicole Matheis (2.39), who led the team in kills in the last two matches, and freshman Caroline Leitch (2.20).
After last week’s Dartmouth Invitational, libero Rylee Hunt entered the top-5 in career digs for the Purple Eagles, and will look to continue her streak of 10 straight matches with double-digit digs.
Three Purple Eagles have double-doubles this season: Alexis Gray and Nicole Matheis each have three, while Alex Stone recorded her first career double-double with 11 kills and 10 blocks against Hartford on Sept. 9 which are the most blocks by a Purple Eagle since 2014.
Niagara is 1-2 in home openers under head coach Vilis Ozols (won last season’s home opener).
The Bulls, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back, after dropping all three matches of the Springhill Suites Invitational last weekend to Georgia Southern, South Carolina and Wake Forest.
UB is 0-3 in five set matches: George Washington, St. Francis (PA) and Georgia Southern.
Leaders: Valisha Watkins (2.28 kills per set), Scout McLerran (7.91 assists per set) Hannah Watson (4.12 digs per set)
Niagara is in search of its first win against UB since 2008.
from PurpleEagles.com via IFTTT
