Bulls Soar to Victory Over Niagara

Wednesday, September 18

Buffalo, N.Y.

6 p.m.

Niagara

Photo by: Paul Hokanson / UB Athletics

9/18/2024 9:53:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Zach Monell

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo women's volleyball team (4-7, 0-0 MAC) got back in the win column with a decisive 3-1 (25-23, 28-30, 25-9, 25-9) win over crosstown rival Niagara (2-7, 0-0 MAAC).

On the night, the Bulls finished with a season-high 13 aces to Niagara's one. Headlining it was Maria Futey who set a new career-high with seven. Manoela Forlin added four of her own as Ava Roodbol and Chloe Brown chipped in one each.

The offense clicked for the Bulls as they totaled 84.0 point to the Purple Eagles' 47.0. Forlin set a career-high 27 kills and 31.5 points. Her 15 digs helped her record her first-career double-double. Abby Leigh had a match-high .517 hitting percentage with 16 kills. Luli Arcucci had 11 kills in Wednesday's win.

Mandy Leigh got back on track as she had a season-high 50 assists, good for 12.50 assists per set. Freshman Eve Adams finished with a career-high six kills.

Defensively Futey had 20 digs moving her to sixth all-time in program history with 1,337 career digs.

The first two sets did not come easy to the Bulls as the Purple Eagles outhit them, .235 to .188. From the start, Buffalo fell into a 4-0 deficit, but they clawed their way back as they led 15-11 at the media timeout. Both squads traded points until Buffalo reach set point at 24-20. A 3-0 Niagara run forced the Bulls to call a timeout. Out of the break, the Bulls took the set with an Eve Adams kill, 25-23.

It was a lengthy second set as the first to 25 wasn't enough. In the tightest set of the night, the largest lead was just three points. The Bulls were in reach of taking the set as they led 24-22, but Niagara didn't go away. The Purple Eagles fought off five set points and closed the set on an 8-4 run to win, 30-28.

After dropping the second set, it was all Bulls the rest of the way. Buffalo outhit Niagara, .443 to .000. It was a runaway third set as the Bulls took it, 25-9. In the set, they had just one error. Buffalo closed the match with a 25-8 win in the fourth set. They went on a 10-0 run with Futey serving. She rattled off five aces in that stretch.

"I do think Niagara was making things really difficult for us in the first two sets with scrappy defense and solid block touches," stated Head Coach Scott Smith. "It was a slow start tonight for us as we struggled to put pressure from the service line and establish our defense. We made a few adjustments and realigned our focus on serving and blocking to give us better looks in the back court. We were carried for the first two sets offensively by Abby and Manoela but finally were able to get the other attackers going strong. We were looking for an emphatic win and I think we got that in those final two sets."

The Bulls will travel to Gainesville, Fla. to play the North Texas Mean Green (2-7, 0-0 AAC) and the No. 16 Florida Gators (6-2, 0-0 SEC) this weekend for the Sunshine Invitational. Sunday's match against Florida will be the featured game on the SEC Network.