Niagara University, NY (October 30, 2004)- Behind 14 kills apiece from Erin Graham, Raelean Rush, and Michelle LeSouder, Niagara improved to 3-2 in the MAAC standings with a 30-13, 30-27, 24-30, 30-27 victory over Manhattan, which drops to 1-3 in the MAAC, at the Gallagher Center on the Monteagle Ridge campus.
Manhattan was led by
Maggie Pfeifer who had a match-high 23 kills.
Whitney Judkins added a season-high 15 kills and
Ashley Davis led the Lady Jaspers with 20 digs. Lori Bambauer recorded a match-high 58 assists. For Niagara, Micole Daluisio had a team-high 20 digs, Graham added 17 and Rush 14.
In game one, Niagara bolted out to a 14-5 lead, collecting four blocks and five kills during the run. The Purple Eagles continued to control the game with Graham converting three kills, Karen Simpson a pair, and LeSouder with two of her own. Manhattan reached double digits at 25-10, but Niagara closed with a 5-3 run.
The Purple Eagles battled in game two with the Lady Jaspers tying the score at six and 10. Niagara responded with five quick points on a Manhattan error, two kills by Rush, a Daluisio ace and a Purple Eagle block. Manhattan came back to pull within two at 18-16, but Niagara remained ahead the rest of the game.
The Purple Eagles trailed early in the third game, 14-10, when Manhattan had six kills. Niagara came back to make it a two-point game, 18-16, when LeSouder had three kills and a block assist. The game see-sawed until Manhattan got three kills from Pfeifer and two from
Megan O'Dorisio to close the game with a 7-2 run.
In game four, Niagara took a 16-8 lead with multiple kills from LeSouder and Annie Wachob. Manhattan responded with a pair of blocks, an ace and a Pfeifer kill to make it 16-12. Again, the teams traded points until the Lady Jaspers worked the score to 26-24 with three Pfeifer kills and blocks from Lori Bambauer and
Helena Ward. Niagara then put together four kills for the win.
Niagara hit .247 for the match, including .406 in the first game. Manhattan hit .202 for the match with a .326 percentage in the third game.
Manhattan (5-20) returns to MAAC play tomorrow, October 31st, when they will face Canisius at 1:00 p.m.
