NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – A see-saw back-and-forth opening set at Niagara got away from Siena Volleyball as the Saints were defeated by the Purple Eagles 3-0 (20-25, 19-25, 15-25) on Saturday afternoon at the Gallagher Center. 
 
The Saints (2-17, 2-7 MAAC) led 16-15 after a multitude of players stepped in with some offensive production including an unlikely kill from libero Payton Hinkle, who picked up her first of the season, two kills from Kayla Jones, and one kill each from Sonja Meyer, Ana Zink and Sina Toroslu. Toroslu added an ace in the stretch as well. 
 
Niagara (7-10, 6-3 MAAC) responded by snagging the next four points highlighted by a pair of kills from Cassie Seminoff with Kylie Blessing servicing the ball. 
 
Siena got within one at 19-18 after two attack errors by Seminoff.  After two Niagara points, the Saints got as close as within two on an Anny Montano kill to close the lead to 21-19.  But, errors did the Saints in when a service error and attacking error put them behind by four.
 
Casey Brown closed it for Niagara with an ace to take the opening set 25-20.  There were nine ties and four lead changes in the set. 
 
In the second set, the Purple Eagles raced out a 6-1 lead and eventually led 10-3 in the early going of the set.  Niagara traded off points for most of the remainder to pull out a 25-19 win. 

Niagara received a big boost from Lexi Bapst, who totaled eight of her game-high 13 kills in the set. 
 
The Saints played its best set statistically in the third set with a team hitting percentage of .219 and hitting a .056 in the opening set and an even .000 in the second set. 
 
Freshman Sonja Meyer and Kayla Jones both got going in the third set, hitting identical lines of three kills with one attack error on nine total attacks.  Junior Sara Wagner also hammered down three kills on eight total attacks in the set. 
 
Siena took an early lead at 5-4 before Niagara fired back with seven straight points on the strength of three aces by Bapst to take an 11-5 advantage.  Bapst added a game-high four kills in the set.
 
For the Saints, Ana Zink tied a season-high with eight assists. Wagner and Jones each totaled seven kills apiece while Hinkle led the team with nine digs. 
 
Next, Siena will take on Canisius (5-12, 3-6 MAAC) on Sunday at noon.