NIAGARA UNIVERSITY — The Niagara volleyball team opened its season on Saturday with a pair matches in Newark, DE. Niagara fell to Loyola (MD) in the first match in straight sets. In the night cap of the doubleheader, the Purple Eagles fell to the hosts Delaware in three sets.
Niagara vs Loyola (L, 25-19, 25-17, 25-21)
First Set
The first set of the season for the Purple Eagles was a back and forth set as the two teams were tied five times and the lead changed four times. Despite Loyola taking a 3-0 lead to start the match the Purple Eagles stormed back and tied the game at 4 and then took the lead on a kill from freshman Payton Lee.
Following the Purple Eagle lead, the team traded points and were tied at 10. Loyola then went on a 5-1 run and took a 15-11 lead. Niagara narrowed the lead to 19-18 but could not complete the come back in the opening set.
Lee led the Purple Eagles with three kills in the first set while Kinga Wronska and Liana Tolliver both had one kill. Kylie Blessing had a team high three assists while freshman Paisley Ka’ahanui had an assist in her first collegiate set.
Second Set
Just like the opening set, the second set opened with the team trading points with Loyola leading 8-7 after 15 points. However, the Greyhounds then built a 20-14 lead and did not allow the Purple Eagles to come back.
Wronska led the Purple Eagles with four kills in the second set while Jenna Vogen and Lee each had two kills. Wronska also had a team high four digs in the second set, while Blessing and Bella Peroni each had two digs.
Third Set
Niagara came out firing in the third set as they jumped out to a 5-2 lead as they looked to extend the match to a fourth set. Despite the early run, the Greyhounds tied the set at six and built an 11-7 lead. Niagara attempted a comeback but could not generate a multiple point run to tie the set. The Greyhounds fended off a late Purple Eagle comeback and closed out the match with a 25-21 third set win.
Senior Cassie Seminoff led the team with four kills in the third set. Wronska had two kills while Laryssa Imbuzeiro had a kill. As a team Niagara had three blocks with Imbuzeiro leading the way with three block assists, Lee had two block assists while Wronska also had a block assist.
Wronska finished the match with seven kills to lead Niagara, Lee had five in her first collegiate match. Blessing had a team high 10 assists while Ka’ahanui had seven in her first match at the collegiate level. Peroni had a match high 15 digs which is her third straight game dating back to last season with double digit digs.
Niagara at Delaware (L, 25-16, 25-17, 25-22)
First Set
Both teams traded points in the opening set but after 17 points, Delaware was out to a 10-7 lead and later built it to a 17-10 lead. Niagara could not mount a comeback in the opening set and fell 25-16 to open the match.
Jenna Vogen led the team in the opening set with three kills while Imbuzeiro had two kills. Blessing, Ka’ahanui and Megan Bruno all had a kill in the opening the set. Blessing had team high five assists while Bruno and Vogen combined for the teams one block in the first set.
Second Set
Niagara and the Blue Hens traded points as the two teams were tied at 10 after 20 points. Delaware then went on a five point run to take a 15-10 lead. Delaware took a 23-15 lead which was followed by a three point run by the Purple Eagles. Niagara could not complete the comeback and fell 25-17 in the second set.
Wronska and Vogen each had three kills in the second set which led the Purple Eagles while Lexi Bapst had a kill. Ka’ahanui had six assists while Blessing had four assists in the set. Wronska had six digs which was a set high.
The Purple Eagles had three blocks in the set, Bruno and Vogen each had two block assists while Imbuxeiro and Seminoff each had a block assist.
Third Set
The Purple Eagles opened the third set by taking a 5-1 lead. Delaware responded and tied the set at eight. The Blue Hens built a 16-11 lead. Niagara then went on a run of their own as they tied the set at 17. The teams continued to trade points until the Blue Hens edged out the Purple Eagles 25-22 in the third set.
Seminoff had a team high three kills in the third set while five other Purple Eagles had at least one kill. Seminoff also had a team high four digs in the set while four others also registered a dig.
Niagara Notes
· Ka’ahanui, Taylor Jenkins, Janiah Robinson, and Lee all made their collegiate debuts against Loyola, they combined for nine sets played.
· Niagara had six team blocks with Lee having lone solo block against Loyola. Lee and Imbuzeiro each had four block assists while Vogen and Wronska each had one block assist. Last season they had five or more blocks in 21 games. Against Delaware, the Purple Eagles had seven blocks as a team with Bruno having one solo block and five block assists.
· It is the 18th and 19th time that Blessing had 10 or more assists in her career. She had a team high 10 against Loyola. Blessing had 13 assists against Delaware, which also led the team.
· Niagara is now 19-14 all time against Loyola and 0-3 against Delaware in program history.
Up Next
The Purple Eagles close out the Blue Hen Invitational tomorrow at 11 am as they face Robert Morris for the 19th time in program history and the first time since 2015.
All WNY is made possible thanks to coffee and sleep deprivation.
We appreciate your readership. We like money, too.
