Bulls Roll To 3-0 Win Over Marist For First Win Of The Season

Saturday, August 31

Buffalo, NY

6:30 pm

University at Buffalo

1-2

Marist

0-3

Team	1	2	3	Final F
Marist	19	20	10	0
Buffalo	25	25	25	3

Bulls Roll To 3-0 Win Over Marist For First Win Of The Season

8/31/2019 8:48:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo volleyball team picked up its first win of 2019 on Saturday evening as the Bulls swept Marist, 3-0. The victory was the first for new UB head coach Scott Smith.

The Bulls took the match 25-19, 25-20, 25-10 as UB hit .377 for the night, compared to just .111 for Marist. Buffalo dominated nearly every category, including a 13-1 edge in total blocks.

Redshirt sophomore Monika Simkova made her Buffalo debut and she didn't disappoint, as the Long Beach State transfer recorded four kills and four blocks in the opening set. A kill by senior Kristina Nieves opened up an early 7-3 lead before Marist came back to tie it at 12-12. From there, Buffalo went on a 5-1 run as another kill by Nieves opened up the 17-13 advantage. The Bulls clinched the set with a double block coming from the transfer duo of Simkova and junior Lexi Nordmann, who played her first two years at SMU. The Bulls went on to take the set, 25-19.

In the second set, Buffalo led just 9-8 when the Bulls scored four straight as a kill from senior Rachel Sanks extended the lead to 13-8. UB continued to lead by five at 21-16 before Marist cut the lead to two. With Buffalo leading just 22-20, the Bulls scored the final three points to take the second 25-20.

The Bulls dominated the third set, as UB recorded 7.0 blocks in the final set alone, forcing Marist to hit -.250. UB raced out to the 11-4 advantage and was never challenged. Leading 11-6, Buffalo scored seven straight points, including a pair of aces from freshman Jenna Sonnenberg. Three more points in the rally all came from the block of Nieves and senior setter Scout McLerran. With the Bulls dominating defensively at the net it was only fitting that UB would clinch the match on a block from Sanks and freshman Abby Leigh.

"It feels great to win," said head coach Scott Smith. "We executed really well tonight and we limited our errors. This group responded well after a tough one last night and we are excited to get back out there and play a good Colgate team tomorrow."

Prokudina led the Bulls with 12 kills, while Sanks had nine kills and just two errors as she hit .500 for the night. Nieves finished with seven kills and just one error, hitting .600, while Simkova added six kills and no errors on 12 total swings. McLerran ran the offense well as she had 32 assists, to go along with two service aces and four blocks.

UB finished with six aces as a team led by the two apiece from McLerran and Sonnenberg. Simkova and sophomore Paige Beck each added one. Beck also led all players with 11 digs on the night.

Nieves finished with six blocks, including a solo, while Simkova had five and Nordmann and McLerran each added four. Playing in just the third set, Leigh still finished with three blocks.

Tonight's match was the only one on the day to not go five sets. Alabama defeated Colgate in the first match of the day 3-2, while Colgate then came back to defeat Marist, 3-2. With its win, Alabama completed a perfect 3-0 weekend.

Buffalo and Colgate will close out the UB Invite on Sunday morning at 10 am.