NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
SCORE: Fairfield 3, Niagara 2 (26-24, 25-22, 25-20, 25-15, 20-18)
RECORDS: Fairfield (12-14, 11-6 MAAC), Niagara (9-17, 9-8 MAAC)
FAIRFIELD, C.T. — The Purple Eagles were defeated by Fairfield on Saturday, splitting their season series with the defending MAAC champions.
Match Summary
First Set
- The Purple Eagles and the Stags went back and forth early in the set and were tied 9-9 before Niagara went on a 5-0 run to take the lead, 14-9.
- A 3-0 run from the Stags put them within two points of Niagara, 14-12, but the Purple Eagles answered with their own 3-0 run to get ahead, 17-12.
- Niagara and Fairfield were tied, 24-24, late in the set, but a kill from Grace Hetterscheidtand an attack error by the Stags earned NU the set one win, 26-24.
Second Set
- The Purple Eagles got off to a quick start, scoring three straight points to open the second set.
- NU and the Stags went back and forth and Fairfield came within one point of Niagara, 19-18. However, the Purple Eagles maintained their lead for the entire set, defeating the Stags 25-22 to take a 2-0 match lead.
Third Set
- Niagara jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead in the third set. A 3-0 run extended the lead, 9-4, for the Purple Eagles.
- A 3-0 run from the Stags put them within two points of NU, 9-7. The Purple Eagles answered with four straight points, including two kills from Caroline Leitch, to jump ahead of Fairfield, 13-7.
- The Purple Eagles and Fairfield kept things close before Fairfield went on a 3-0 run to take a one-point lead, 18-17.
- The Purple Eagles tied things up, 18-18, but the Stags remained in control of the lead, going on a 3-0 run to get ahead, 21-18.
- The Stags scored four straight points to close out the set, 25-20.
Fourth Set
- A 4-0 run from Niagara early gave the Purple Eagles the lead, 5-2, but the Stags quickly tied things up, 5-5.
- The Purple Eagles were back in the lead, 10-9, but the Stags once again wrested the lead from NU, 13-10.
- The Stags soon went on an 8-0 run to take a 21-11 lead over the Purple Eagles. Fairfield allowed Niagara only four more points, winning the set, 25-15, to tie the match, 2-2.
Fifth Set
- Niagara held the early lead, 5-1, but the teams went back and forth, with the lead changing 10 times over the course of the deciding set.
- The Stags hung on to win the set, 20-18, handing the Purple Eagles their first five-set loss of the season.
Eagle’s Eye On…
- Leitch led the Purple Eagles with 17 kills. She also added 13 digs to record a double-double.
- Jessica Streuer recorded her 13th double-double of the season with a team-high 26 assists and 10 digs.
- Emillie Wright had a team-high 21 digs, tying her career-high.
- Mary Redl added 13 kills for the Purple Eagles.
- Hetterscheidt led the team with six total blocks (one solo block, five block assists).
Up Next
- Niagara closes out the regular season on Sunday, Nov. 11 at Quinnipiac. The match will begin at 1:00 p.m.
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