WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL

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BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo volleyball team dropped a 30-28 decision in game one but came back to sweep the next three games en route to a 3-1 win (28-30, 30-25, 30-23, 30-23) over the visiting Niagara Purple Eagles tonight in Alumni Arena. The Bulls (5-4) had four players in double digits in kills, including two with double-doubles in kills and digs. The loss for Niagara (5-2) snaps a five-match win streak.

Katie Weekley

The Bulls jumped out to an early 10-5 lead in game one and later led by as many as six points before the Purple Eagles mounted an emotional comeback. A Buffalo service error started a 7-0 Niagara run that erased a 28-23 Buffalo lead and ended the game at 30-28. The run included two kills apiece by Niagara's Stephanie Hopkins and Michelle LeSouder, along with two Buffalo attack errors.

Niagara carried its momentum into game two, taking an early 6-1 lead before the Bulls started to chip away and eventually tied the game at 23-23. Two big blocks by senior Katie Weekley (Dayton, OH/Chaminade-Julienne), one assisted by senior Amy Brown (Pittsburgh, PA/Mt. Lebanon) and the other assisted by junior Brandie Clark (Medicine Hat, Alberta/Medicine Hat), then turned the momentum in Buffalo's favor and propelled the Bulls to a 30-25 win to tie the match at one game apiece.

Niagara led 8-6 in game three and 7-3 in game four, but the Bulls quickly grabbed the upper hand and rolled to identical 30-23 victories in each game to end the match. The Bulls hit .270 as a team, including an impressive .462 in game two, while Niagara hit .156 overall. The Bulls had 12 blocks in the match compared to Niagara's six and nine service aces compared to Niagara's five.

Nikki Morzenti

Junior Nikki Morzenti (Safety Harbor, FL/Clearwater) led the Bulls with a team-high 16 kills and 11 digs, and junior Jenna Mapé (Calgary, Alberta/Father Lacombe) also posted a double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs. Weekley finished with 11 kills, four service aces and a match-high eight blocks, and junior Lauren Burd (York, PA/Central York) added 11 kills and four blocks. Clark finished with nine kills, nine digs and six blocks, and Brown recorded 45 assists and 12 digs. Sophomore Lizaiha Garcia (Dayton, OH/Beavercreek) had a team-high 16 digs.

The Purple Eagles were led by Hopkins with a match-high 19 kills and Micole Daluisio with a match-high 22 digs. Hopkins reached a double-double with 18 digs while also recording four of NU's five service aces. LeSouder finished with 14 kills and four blocks, and Karen Simpson added 12 kills and three blocks.

The Bulls take to the road again this weekend to participate in a tournament at West Virginia. Buffalo will play the host Mountaineers at 7:30 pm on Friday and then take on Memphis at 2:30 pm and Duquesne at 5:30 pm on Saturday.