Purple Eagles volleyball defeats Quinnipiac in five-set thriller

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — The Purple Eagles women’s volleyball team won a five-set thriller with Quinnipiac on Saturday to improve to 4-3 in conference play.


Match Summary:

First Set
Niagara took the early lead, 9-4, but the Bobcats stayed in the game and the score was soon tied, 13-13.

Quinnipiac took the lead, 17-16, but NU quickly got back on top of the Bobcats, 18-17.
A 3-0 run from Quinnipiac put the Bobcats back in the lead, 21-20, but the Purple Eagles answered with a 3-0 run, including two kills from Mary Redl, to take a 23-21 lead.

Niagara remained in control for the remainder of the set and came away with the 25-22 win.

• A 5-0 run from NU early in the second set put the Purple Eagles ahead of the Bobcats, 8-3.
• The Purple Eagles controlled most of the second set, but Quinnipiac came back to tie things up, 18-18.
• A kill from Alex Paris gave NU the lead back, 19-18, but the Bobcats went on a 7-0 run to close out the set and tie the match, 1-1.

• Quinnipiac led 5-1 in the third set but the Purple Eagles scored four straight points, including one kill from Redl and two from Caroline Leitch, to tie the score, 5-5.
• The Purple Eagles and the Bobcats went back and forth before Quinnipiac began to pull away late, going on a 5-0 run to take a 22-16 lead over Niagara.
• Quinnipiac took the third set, 25-22, to take the lead in the match, 2-1.

• The Bobcats opened the fourth set with a 4-0 run to take a 4-0 lead over the Purple Eagles.
• Midway through the set, Quinnipiac led 20-15 but the Purple Eagles went on an impressive 8-0 run to take the lead, 23-20. NU’s scoring streak included kills from Grace Hetterscheidt, Jessica Streuer, Redl and Leitch.
• The Purple Eagles held onto the lead, winning the fourth set, 25-21, and forcing the game into a fifth set.

• The score was tied 13 times in what would prove to be an exhilarating final set.
• The Bobcats were ahead 5-3, but the Purple Eagles tied things up, 5-5.
• Quinnipiac reclaimed the lead, 8-7, but powerful kills from Hetterscheidt and Jaycie Robertsknotted the score once again, 9-9.
• The Purple Eagles and the Bobcats went back and forth but Niagara iced the 18-16 set five win with two consecutive kills from Leitch.

• Leitch led the Purple Eagles with a career-high 21 kills. She had a team-high 23.0 points.
• Hetterscheidt added a career-high 16 kills and had an impressive .571 hitting percentage.
• Roberts and Redl each recorded 13 kills, which is a career-high for Redl.
• Streuer recorded a career-high 61 assists.
• Emillie Wright led the Purple Eagles in digs with 11.  

• The Purple Eagles welcome the reigning MAAC champions, Fairfield, to the Gallagher Center on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 1:00 p.m.