JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Saint Peter's Peacocks volleyball team faced a tough challenge against Niagara University, falling in straight sets (25-11, 25-21, 25-16) on Saturday afternoon in MAAC play at Run Baby Run Arena. Despite some bright moments from several Peacocks, the Purple Eagles capitalized on their momentum to secure the sweep.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Purple Eagles took advantage of four consecutive Peacock errors to start the match, quickly jumping to a 6-0 lead. Freshman Karolina Rodriguez registered Saint Peter's first kill, making it 6-1, but Niagara continued to push, never letting the Peacocks get closer than eight points. With the score at 21-9, the Purple Eagles finished strong, claiming the final three points to take the first set 25-11.
Saint Peter's rebounded in the second set, starting on the front foot. Junior Elena Bilhartz opened with a kill from a pass by freshman Danielle Caligiuri, who followed up with an ace. Sophomore Maliyah Labrie added another kill, giving the Peacocks an early 3-0 lead.
Niagara clawed back, tying the set at 6-6. The Purple Eagles then went on a four-point rally, featuring a kill from junior Kinga Wronska, blocks from sophomore Payton Lee and senior Laryssa Imbuzeiro, a Peacock attack error, and an ace by junior Kylie Blessing, pulling ahead 10-8. Sophomore Valeria Pagan Munoz tied the score at 13 with a timely kill. Both teams traded points until 15-15 when Niagara went on a six-point run to pull ahead 20-15. Refusing to back down, the Peacocks countered with a run of their own, fueled by a kill and ace from Pagan Munoz and two Niagara errors, closing the gap to 20-19. A service ace from Rodriguez tied the set at 21-21, but Niagara held firm, closing out the set 25-21 behind key blocks and kills from Wronska and Lee.
Niagara carried their momentum into the third set, jumping to an early 7-2 lead. The Purple Eagles continued to build on their advantage with several multi-point runs, extending the lead to 16-7. Despite some resistance from the Peacocks, including a few key swings from senior Penelope Rivera, Saint Peter's could not close the gap. A Peacock attack error and a kill by Niagara's junior Liana Tolliver sealed the set 25-16, completing the sweep for the Purple Eagles.
Inside the Numbers:
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Bilhartz had two kills on nine attempts, hitting .222
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Rivera led Saint Peter's with seven kills
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Caligiuri added 15 assists
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Freshman libero Lagean Colon had a team-high 11 digs
Up Next:
The Peacocks will be back on the court tomorrow, Sunday, October 5, as they host Canisius University at 1 PM in Run Baby Run Arena.
For the latest updates on Saint Peter's University Athletics, visit SaintPetersPeacocks.com and follow the Peacocks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
